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Lewis Hamilton says Red Bull chief Christian Horner is ‘stirring things’ over team move claims
F1 returns to Abu Dhabi this weekend for the usual season-finale at the Yas Marina Circuit.
Max Verstappen won the inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix last week for his 18th victory of a record-breaking season. The Dutchman has now won six races in a row since Carlos Sainz’s victory in Singapore in September.
Charles Leclerc finished second in Vegas after a terrific last-lap overtake on Sergio Perez, who despite dropping down to third place still sealed second in the world championship for Red Bull’s first-ever one-two finish in a Formula 1 season.
Lewis Hamilton is still chasing his first win in nearly two years as Mercedes look to stave off Ferrari in the battle for second place in the constructors’ championship. Toto Wolff’s team are four points clear ahead of the final grand prix of the season.
Follow live updates from the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix with The Independent
Walking with the stars: Inside the white lines of the Las Vegas Grand Prix grid
Feature by Kieran Jackson
It’s Saturday night in Sin City, 9pm local time. One hour until lights out. Walking out of the media centre, across the car park of the Tuscany Suites and Casino, and up through the various security checkpoints, you arrive at the highly coveted, yet strangely downplayed open space that is the Formula One paddock. Halfway down, between the garages of Aston Martin and Alfa Romeo, lies the grid access lane: a portal to the forthcoming chaos.
There is a chill in the air. A cool 15C temperature which, predicted all week, is about to play havoc with tyres in the 50 laps ahead. A pause for breath and then the steel-faced American bodyguard gives the go-ahead. On you stroll, pretending you belong here. Welcome to the curiously flummoxing experience that is the F1 pre-race grid.
Kieran Jackson24 November 2023 11:15
Kieran Jackson24 November 2023 10:58
George Russell fastest in FP1
The Mercedes driver is top of the leaderboard at the chequered flag in FP1, with a 1:26:072 on soft tyres.
Aston Martin’s Felipe Drugovich with an impressive P2 as a rookie driver, 0.288 secs off, while Daniel Ricciardo is third.
4-10: Bottas, Stroll, Piastri, Sainz, Shwartzman, Gasly, Tsunoda
As for the British rookies…. Jake Dennis finished 16th in Max Verstappen’s car, with Zak O’Sullivan P18 and Oliver Bearman P20.
(Getty Images)
Kieran Jackson24 November 2023 10:33
George Russell still fastest
The Mercedes driver continues to lead the way at the top of the timesheet with his 1:26:072 lap three-tenths fastest than second place currently occupied by Aston Martin reserve Felipe Drugovich.
3-10: Bottas, Ricciardo, Piastri, Shwartzman, Gasly, Tsunoda, Sargeant, Vesti
Just under 10 minutes to go…
Kieran Jackson24 November 2023 10:22
Logan Sargeant up to P2 on the timesheet
The Williams driver – whose 2024 spot is yet to be confirmed – is now second on the leaderboard, but is still 0.925 secs off George Russell in first.
Frederik Vesti, in Lewis Hamilton’s car, now the best of the rookies in fourth place.
Just under 30 minutes to go…
Kieran Jackson24 November 2023 10:06
McLaren’s Pato O’Ward quickest out of the rookies
The Mexican driver – who has been announced as a McLaren reserve next year – is the quickest of all the rookie drivers after the first 20 minutes. He’s sixth-fastest, 1.5 seconds off George Russell in first.
Yuki Tsunoda and Carlos Sainz complete the top-three.
Plenty of lock-ups and oversteers so far from the rookies, as they become accustomed to the rigours of a Formula 1 car. To be fair, it makes for intriguing viewing.
(Getty Images)
Kieran Jackson24 November 2023 09:53
Jake Dennis coming into the pits
“I need to box, my helmet is nowhere near tight enough!”
Likely that the strain on the head/neck in F1 is quite different to Formula E!
Dennis is in Verstappen’s car this morning…
(Getty Images)
Kieran Jackson24 November 2023 09:36
Who are the rookie drivers taking part?
Frederik Vesti – Mercedes
Robert Shwartzman – Ferrari
Felipe Drugovich – Aston Martin
Theo Pourchaire – Alfa Romeo
Zak O’Sullivan – Williams
Kieran Jackson24 November 2023 09:35
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