Abu Dhabi Grand Prix: Max Verstappen fastest from George Russell in second practice

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Red Bull's Max Verstappen had a comfy vantage implicit Mercedes' George Russell successful Friday signifier astatine the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

As the last contention play of the play began, Verstappen was 0.341 seconds quicker than Russell, who won the Sao Paulo Grand Prix past weekend.

The satellite champion did not instrumentality portion successful the archetypal session, successful which Lewis Hamilton headed Russell to a Mercedes one-two.

Hamilton was 4th fastest successful the 2nd session, down Ferrari's Charles Leclerc.

Verstappen sat retired the archetypal league truthful Red Bull could comply with the rules governing young operator investigating and springiness Liam Lawson a tally but was instantly up to gait successful the second.

He was fastest some connected the single-lap qualifying simulation runs and connected the aboriginal contention simulations, erstwhile cars tally with afloat tanks.

In those, Russell was astir 0.3secs disconnected Verstappen, with Leclerc's Ferrari a further 0.5secs adrift. Hamilton's tally was disrupted by postulation but appeared connected a akin show level to Russell's.

Leclerc is competing for 2nd spot successful the drivers' title with Red Bull's Sergio Perez, who was 5th quickest from Ferrari's Carlos Sainz.

The brace are tied connected points truthful whoever finishes the expansive prix up volition clinch the position.

It seems a meagre prize for Leclerc aft his aboriginal play committedness collapsed successful a torrent of Ferrari errors and reliability failures, but 2 abstracted squad orders disputes past play successful Brazil revealed that some cared.

Ferrari decided against swapping their cars connected the last thigh successful Brazil aft they had agreed they would connected contention morning.

But Leclerc's disappointment astir that was thing compared to the eruption astatine Red Bull erstwhile Verstappen refused an bid to fto Perez by for sixth place.

Verstappen's refusal, and his consequent admittance that helium acted successful that mode bay due to the fact that of "something that happened successful the past", has dominated the contention play successful Abu Dhabi truthful far.

Verstappen continues to garbage to accidental what his occupation is, but aggregate sources person said that helium believes Perez crashed deliberately successful the closing stages of Monaco Grand Prix qualifying.

That prevented the Dutchman improving his clip and securing a spot connected the beforehand row, leaving him 4th connected the grid down Perez, who went connected to triumph the race.

The concern has created an interior situation astatine Red Bull. Verstappen says helium made his feelings wide astatine the erstwhile contention successful Mexico, and the squad person admitted to mistakes successful handling the contention successful Brazil, successful a connection that included factual inaccuracies astir the events of the race.

One of those mistakes was not to sermon with Verstappen earlier the contention that they wanted him to assistance Perez, which helium says helium volition bash this play if the concern arises.

Sources wrong Red Bull accidental that Perez has admitted helium crashed deliberately successful Monaco to squad management. But the Mexican himself says that accusation is "wrong".

The 2 men importune the concern is down them and Perez said helium regretted immoderate of the things helium had said astir Verstappen aft the race.

The archetypal signifier league featured a fig of young drivers being fixed opportunities nether F1's investigating rules.

Lawson was fastest successful 5th spot successful the Red Bull, up of the Aston Martin of Sebastian Vettel, who is racing successful his past expansive prix earlier retirement.

Vettel has asked everyone connected F1 - teams and media - to articulation him for a photograph connected Saturday evening aft qualifying, earlier moving oregon walking a thigh of the track.

Robert Schwarzmann was seventh fastest successful Carlos Sainz's Ferrari up of McLaren's Daniel Ricciardo, Alfa Romeo's Valtteri Bottas and Williams operator Alex Albon.

Logan Sargeant, who volition postgraduate to F1 with Williams adjacent twelvemonth if helium secures capable licence points successful the Formula 2 finale this weekend, was 15th successful the Williams.

And IndyCar prima Patricio O'Ward was 18th successful the McLaren, aft his league was disrupted with an aboriginal problem, followed by Jack Doohan successful Fernando Alonso's Alpine and Felipe Drugovich successful Lance Stroll's Aston Martin.

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