McLaren’s Oscar Piastri topped a final free practice session of Formula 1’s 2024 season at Yas Marina’s Abu Dhabi GP. Haas’ driver led the standings ahead of his teammate Lando Norris and Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton.
The early afternoon at Yas Marina Circuit started calm for the 2024 Formula 1 grid. Alpine drivers led the first 10 minutes of Free Practice 3, debuting Jack Doohan ahead of more experienced Pierre Gasly until Aston Martin drivers took the lead 15 minutes into Abu Dhabi’s FP3.
As the drivers finally left the garages and with times tumbling, Kevin Magnussen, the driver on the way out of F1 and into BMW’s LMDH endurance program, led the pack ahead of Norris and teammate Hülkenberg.
Max Verstappen’s struggles during the final Free Practice sessions of the season, continued with only the sixth fastest lap, as the time struck 25 minutes in.
Nobody was able to top the time of 1:24.470 of Kevin Magnussen as the session drew into its second half. Verstappen came closest with a lap shy of over a 2-tenths from the Flying Dane.
Magnussen’s dominant FP3 run finally ended when Williams’ Alexander Albon posted a +0.092 faster time 45 minutes into the Free Practice.
Times started to tumble and Piastri took the lead over Lando Norris with a 1:23.433 as the quickest time of the weekend so far, preparing McLarens for what seems like a successful hunt for a first constructor gold since 1998.