F1 Qualifying Abu Dhabi, the starting grid
F1 Qualifying Abu Dhabi, the news
Even the last qualifying sessions of the year deliver the usual verdict: the package composed of Red Bull and Max Verstappen he is always a cut above everyone else, then the rest of the troop arrives, commanded by one Charles Leclerc consistently capable of extracting 100% (and today much more) from the SF-23 on the flying lap.
The Dutchman closed his Saturday with a time of 1:23.445, obtained in the first run and therefore with a less rubberized track. The Monegasque goes beyond the limits of the Ferrari, today strangely less performing on the flying lap (but with more promising race pace numbers than usual) and pulls a totally unexpected front row out of the hat. Carlos’ 16th position also demonstrates this Sainz: nothing went well for the Spaniard, starting from the front wing problem solved just before qualifying and then continuing with traffic in the first two sectors of the decisive lap. Ferrari, which today did not have the potential to compete for the front row despite Leclerc’s qualities, needed the two strikers to attack Mercedes. Luckily for the Maranello team, Lewis Hamilton was eliminated in Q2 by George Russell: a result that puts the fight for second place in the constructors’ standings back in balance, also because in the race pace it seems that the two teams can fight on equal terms.
(piece being updated)
F1 Qualifying Abu Dhabi, live
Here you can reread all the live coverage of the Abu Dhabi qualifications.
The program
Having archived the last qualifying of the year, Formula 1 returns to the track tomorrow, for the Grand Prix which will start at 2pm. For the teams, however, the checkered flag will not determine the start of the winter holidays. Not only, as always happens, will we have to think about next year’s cars, but on Tuesday 28th there will also be the end-of-season tests dedicated to young drivers, again on the Yas Marina circuit.
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