F1 LIVE | Third free practice session at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
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The teams and drivers in the paddock of the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi are preparing for the last free practice of the season. One last hour to dot the i's for a qualifying session in which Mercedes is the sky-high favorite.
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Can anyone attack Mercedes?
Realistically, Max Verstappen is the only one who can make it difficult for Valtteri Bottas and Lewis Hamilton, but after the first two free practices on Friday, the Dutchman already assumes that he will not finish higher than third this weekend. The third free practice will give an indication of what to expect in qualifying.
Various adjustments
Yesterday, Red Bull Racing said it was surprisingly fast in the first sector of the lap in Abu Dhabi. Where Mercedes normally struggle in the final sector of the track, this year they're strong. That's probably because Mercedes has tuned its car for the third sector. In that twisty part of the circuit, no one came close to the times Bottas and Hamilton managed to set. So they opt for more downward pressure.
Medium the best tyre again?
During the races in Bahrain, the soft tyre was subject to enormous wear and tear, so that it was almost not used on Sunday. The aggressive asphalt in Abu Dhabi has about the same effect. During the free practice sessions on Friday, it also turned out that the soft tire is barely faster over one flying lap.
This article was written and originally published by Pelle on the Dutch edition of GPblog.com.