Hamilton distance Verstappen on the second session

After the first session won by Verstappen, Hamilton was awarded the second. The Mercedes rider set the fastest time in 1: 23.691. His rival only signed the 4th fastest time, at +0.641.

The gap is significant, as all times have improved compared to this morning. This confirms that the track is rather favorable to Mercedes.

Ocon obtained a good result with the Alpine, setting the second fastest time (+0.343) ahead of Bottas (+0.392). Pérez placed 5th (+0.709). Gasly is 10th (+1.249).

Kimi Räikkönen, who is playing the last GP of his career, heavily damaged his car in the last sector, before the last corner of the track. The two fins are completely destroyed.

The Finnish pilot, unharmed, however, did not make a mistake at high speed, under the bridge in the last sector. But the impact against the tire wall was enough to give Alfa Romeo engineers a colossal job.

The meeting will not resume.

Five minutes from the end of this second practice session, Hamilton dominated the standings ahead of Ocon and Bottas. Verstappen and Pérez are 4th and 5th. Above all, Mercedes set the best times in the three sectors of the circuit. Bottas has indeed recovered in Verstappen the second sector, the one which is the fastest.

The top 10 top speeds in this second practice session have been revealed. Hamilton reached 323.6 km / h, while Verstappen did not figure in this top 10. However, his team-mate Pérez was ranked 7th, with 320.6 km / h.

1. Räikkönen: 327.7 km / h
2. Ocon: 324.1
3. Hamilton: 323.6
4. Alonso: 321.0
5. Giovinazzi: 320.9
6. Mazepin: 320.7
7. Perez: 320.6
8. Bottas: 320.4
9. Gasly: ​​320, 2
10: Tsunoda: 319.9

The sky has darkened a bit compared to the first session.

Toto Wolff and Christian Horner, who run Mercedes and Red Bull respectively, shake hands at a press conference.

“May the best driver and the best team win,” Toto Wolff told Christian Horner.

Max Verstappen was therefore the fastest in the first free practice session. Analysis of his time shows that he dominated his rivals in the second sector, the one with the two longest straights of the track and which is supposed to be to the advantage of Mercedes.

However, one should not jump to hasty conclusions. Not only because Verstappen benefited from a nice draw in his fast lap, but also because the Mercedes are not yet at the top of their capacities (Red Bull either, by the way).

Also, Verstappen’s time analysis can be read the other way around: the fact that Mercedes drove faster in the other two, slower sectors could be a bad sign for Red Bull.

In 1: 25.009 Verstappen was the fastest in the first practice session of the weekend. Hamilton signed the third fastest time, at +0.354. For a few minutes, the Briton was much closer to his rival, but saw his improved time be canceled for not respecting the limits of the track.

The Dutchman is therefore starting his weekend perfectly, but the gaps are very small. The laps will improve significantly between now and qualifying on Saturday afternoon.

Bottas took 2nd place, at +0.196. Pérez is 4th, at +0.354.

On leaving for Alfa Romeo, Bottas is honored by Mercedes, after four years of loyal service.

15 minutes left: Verstappen, in good shape, set the fastest time (1: 25.009), ahead of Bottas (+0.196) and Hamilton (+0.346). Pérez is only 5th, behind Tsunoda. All these times were done with the softest tires.

Mercedes has uploaded an infographic showing Yas Marina’s 2020 route, and this year’s one. This shows that two baffles have been removed: the one at the end of the first sector, before the long straight, and the one which began the third sector.

The light at the pit exit has turned green. The single-seaters set off for an hour of testing. The temperature in the air is 26.7 ° C. On the ground, the thermometer reads 38.9 ° C. The weather is radiant.

Michael Masi, the F1 race director, has already warned the drivers, and in particular Max Verstappen, that a voluntary crash could well be penalized with a withdrawal of points in the world championship standings.

The Yas Marina layout is known to be favorable to Mercedes, which can count on its engine to give it good top speeds in a straight line. But the circuit has been changed slightly this year, which is causing optimism at Red Bull.

Last year, Max Verstappen won the race. A result to be put into perspective: not only was Lewis Hamilton already sacred, but he was coming back from a particularly trying Covid-19 contamination.

Previous results in Abu Dhabi:
2020: Verstappen 1st, Hamilton 3rd
2019: Verstappen 2nd, Hamilton 1st
2018: Verstappen 3rd, Hamilton 1st
2017: Verstappen 5th, Hamilton 2nd
2016: Verstappen 4th, Hamilton 1st
2015: Verstappen 16th, Hamilton 2nd

The suspense seems low, but the constructors’ title will also be awarded at the end of this Abu Dhabi GP. Mercedes approaches the event in mind with 587.5 points, against 559.5 for Red Bull. There is therefore a 28 point difference between the two teams.

Friday

► Free practice 1: 10:30 a.m.
► Free practice 2: 2:00 p.m.

On Saturday

► Free practice 3: 11h00
► Qualification: 2:00 p.m.

Sunday

► Race: 2:00 p.m.

Hello everyone, welcome to this live RMC Sport to follow the long awaited 22nd and last weekend of the year in Formula 1. The time has come for the final duel between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen. The two candidates for the title of world champion 2021, who each have 369.5 points, will fight a battle that promises to be daunting on the Yas Marina circuit in Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates).