Piastri Dominates Final Practice Session Ahead of Qualifying in Abu Dhabi
The stage is set for qualifying in Abu Dhabi as Oscar Piastri laid down a marker for McLaren, finishing fastest in the final practice session ahead of Lando Norris and securing a one-two Finnish for the team.
The heat remained on at Yas Marina with track temperatures peaking at 41°C.
Practice 3 saw the field take to the track heavily
A Busy Start
Fernando Alonso expressed his optimism early, surprising many observers.
“I think it’s going to be a good day, I had a good feeling,” he radio hissed, a stark contrast to Friday’s disruptive practice with the Alpine.
Despite the scorching heat,
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The session was briefly disrupted as Lance Stroll wisely decided to return to the boxes after encountering a feathered inconveniently closegun incident
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Adapting to the track conditions proved to be the name of the game, with several drivers struggling to keep their cars enoint-
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The early minutes saw the timesheets shift constantly with drivers on soft tires
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Into the final phase, the top spot changed hands multiple times as each driver tried to lay down a faster time. Driving a used
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Can Piastri maintain his strong form and secure pole position in Abu Dhabi qualifying?
## Piastri Looks Strong Ahead of Abu Dhabi Qualifying
**Host:** Welcome back to the show! We’re live from Yas Marina Circuit for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, and Oscar Piastri has just sent a strong message to the competition with a blistering fast lap in final practise. Joining us now is our F1 Analyst, Alex Reed. Welcome to the show.
**Alex Reed:** Thanks for having me! It’s certainly heating up here in Abu Dhabi, both on and off the track.
**Host:** Absolutely! Piastri topped the timesheets, almost two tenths ahead of his teammate Lando Norris. What did you make of that performance?
**Alex Reed:** I think it’s a huge statement from Piastri and McLaren. They’ve been looking strong all weekend, but to put a one-two on the board in final practise is hugely encouraging. [[1](https://www.fia.com/news/f1-piastri-keeps-mclaren-top-final-practise-abu-dhabi-grand-prix)]They’ve clearly found a good setup for this track, and with the hot conditions, that’s giving them a real advantage.
**Host:** What about the rest of the field? We saw Lewis Hamilton in third for Mercedes. Any surprises there?
**Alex Reed:** Hamilton was quick, but Red Bull seemed a bit off the pace. Max Verstappen was only fourth, which is unusual for him. It could be a sign of things to come in qualifying, but we’ll have to wait and see.
**Host:** Indeed we will. Thanks for your insights, Alex Reed. We’ll be back after the break with all the action from qualifying here in Abu Dhabi.
