George Russell takes fastest time in final Abu Dhabi GP practice
6th December 2025Mercedes’ George Russell has topped the timing boards of the final practice hour of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, pipping McLaren’s Lando Norris.
Feature image credit: Mercedes F1
In the final 60-minute practice session of the season, Russell took top honours as the Briton completed a quick one-minute, 23.334-second lap to stop Norris from completing a clean sweep of fastest laps in practice.
Norris had completed Friday as the fastest driver after the McLaren topped the timing boards in both FP1 and FP2.
The #4 McLaren had a close shave with Red Bull’s outgoing driver, Yuki Tsunoda, into turn 12 as the Japanese driver was found going slow on the racing line. McLaren’s #4 had to take to the escape road to avoid a collision.
It is set to be investigated after the session.
The session was red-flagged at the halfway point of the session as Hamilton spun out at turn nine and slammed into the barrier. The #44 claimed something buckled at the front of the car which ‘snapped the rear.’ Fortunately, the seven-time world champion was okay and out of the car.
Lewis Hamilton (Scuderia Ferrari HP, 44) on the Friday at the Abu Dhabi GP 2025 05/12/2025 // Credit: Grégoire Truchet
After a 10-minute delay, the session resumed.
McLaren’s Oscar Piastri found pace late on, pipping Verstappen by 0.523s in the final 10 minutes, after a weekend of catch-up after the Australian missed out on FP1. However, he was quickly beaten by Norris, who when 0.2s faster.
In the dying embers of the session, there was a pit lane incident as Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli was released into the path of Tsunoda, and the two collided. This too will be investigated after the session.
In the final moments, Russell climbed to the top of the timing boards with a narrow margin ahead of Norris, pipping the championship leader by 0.004s. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen completed the top three, 0.124s behind the Mercedes.
Max Verstappen (Oracle Red Bull Racing, 01) after FP1 on the Friday at the Abu Dhabi GP 2025 05/12/2025 // Credit: Grégoire Truchet
Who finished where in FP3?
- George Russell, Mercedes
- Lando Norris, McLaren
- Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
- Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin
- Oscar Piastri, McLaren
- Esteban Ocon, Haas
- Oliver Bearman, Haas
- Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
- Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
- Alexander Albon, Williams
- Gabriel Bortoleto, Kick Sauber
- Carlos Sainz, Williams
- Nico Hulkenberg, Kick Sauber
- Lance Stroll, Aston Martin
- Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls
- Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls
- Pierre Gasly, Alpine
- Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari
- Franco Colapinto, Alpine
- Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing
Read more Formula 1 here:
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- F1 drivers slam Kimi Antonelli abuse ahead of Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
- Toyota Gazoo Racing to become title sponsor of Haas
- ‘I’m not finished yet’ says Yuki Tsunoda in first post after Red Bull axe
- Red Bull and Racing Bulls confirm driver line-ups for 2026 to complete grid
- Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Preview: Drivers’ Championship goes down to the wire in season finale
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Hi, I’m Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion.
I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I’ve loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.
Kamron Kent
Hi, I'm Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion. I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I've loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.
