2023 F1 Abu Dhabi GP results: Leclerc fastest in crash-filled practice

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc was quickest in Abu Dhabi Grand Prix practice, ahead of the final round of the 2023 Formula 1 World Championship, in a shunt-filled FP2.

Mercedes’ George Russell was fastest in Free Practice 1, by 0.28s from Aston Martin’s reserve driver Felipe Drugovich.

Leclerc paced a massively disrupted FP2 with a fastest time of 1m24.809s, following two red flags for big crashes for Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) and Nico Hulkenberg (Haas).

Abu Dhabi GP FP1 results: Russell fastest from Drugovich

What happened in Abu Dhabi GP Free Practice 1?

This full-daylight session featured 10 rookies, who have contested two or fewer grands prix.

Russell set the early pace on medium tyres at 1m26.313s and improved to 1m26.072s on softs.

Drugovich, who was second quickest, was the only rookie in the top seven, lapping in 1m26.360s, ahead of regulars Daniel Ricciardo (AlphaTauri), Valtteri Bottas (Alfa Romeo), Lance Stroll (Aston), Oscar Piastri (McLaren) and Carlos Sainz (Ferrari).

Robert Shwartzman was eighth in Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari, ahead of Pierre Gasly (Alpine) and Yuki Tsunoda (AlphaTauri). Logan Sargeant was 11^th for Williams but almost caused a shunt for Jack Doohan in the second Alpine, who was 13^th fastest.

Frederik Vesti drove Lewis Hamilton’s Williams to 12^th and IndyCar ace Pato O’Ward was 15^th in Lando Norris’s McLaren.

Both regular Red Bull drivers gave up their seats in this session, with Formula E champion Jake Dennis and F2 star Isack Hadjar 16^th and 17^th respectively.

Zak O’Sullivan had a huge slide at the final corner on the way to 18^th for Williams.

Abu Dhabi GP FP2 results: Leclerc fastest from Norris

What happened in Abu Dhabi GP Free Practice 2?

FP2 was red-flagged after eight minutes when Sainz crashed heavily at Turn 3, the Spaniard blaming dirty air from a car in front as his car bottomed out over a bump and spun wildly into the Techpro barriers. The left side of his Ferrari was wrecked in the high-speed impact.

Over half the duration of the session was gone by the time it went green again, but a second red flag was caused almost immediately by Hulkenberg crashing on the exit of Turn 1. He spun to the inside and backed his Haas into the wall.

Russell led the way as the session restarted again in full darkness, with a 1m25.906s set on mediums inside the first few minutes. That was quickly eclipsed by Leclerc’s 1m24.809s on softs, with Norris getting within 0.043s and Max Verstappen (Red Bull) 0.173s away in third.

Bottas was fourth from Sergio Perez (Red Bull), Russell and Zhou Guanyu (Alfa).