F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix LIVE: Practice results and reaction after Carlos Sainz crash
F1 returns to Abu Dhabi this weekend for the usual season-finale at the Yas Marina Circuit.
Max Verstappen won the inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix last week for his 18th victory of a record-breaking season. The Dutchman has now won six races in a row since Carlos Sainz’s victory in Singapore in September.
Charles Leclerc finished second in Vegas after a terrific last-lap overtake on Sergio Perez, who despite dropping down to third place still sealed second in the world championship for Red Bull’s first-ever one-two finish in a Formula 1 season.
Lewis Hamilton is still chasing his first win in nearly two years as Mercedes look to stave off Ferrari in the battle for second place in the constructors’ championship. Toto Wolff’s team are four points clear ahead of the final grand prix of the season.
Follow live updates from the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix with The Independent
F1 ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX - PRACTICE
Charles Leclerc fastest in FP2; Norris 2nd; Verstappen 3rd
CRASH! Nico Hulkenberg hits the barrier
CRASH! Carlos Sainz smashes his Ferrari into the wall
Second practice at the Yas Marina Circuit started at 1pm (GMT)
George Russell fastest in first practice; Drugovich 2nd; Ricciardo 3rd
Christian Horner reveals talks with Lewis Hamilton’s father over Red Bull seat
Lewis Hamilton takes aim at Christian Horner: ‘He’s stirring things!’
FEATURE: Inside the white lines of the Las Vegas Grand Prix grid
FP2 RESULTS IN FULL
14:12 , Kieran Jackson
FP2 CLASSIFICATION 👀#AbuDhabiGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/2po12uxjFs
— Formula 1 (@F1) November 24, 2023
Charles Leclerc fastest in second practice
14:05 , Kieran Jackson
The Ferrari man - pole-sitter last week in Las Vegas - goes quickest in FP2 with a lap time of 1:24:809.
Lando Norris was 0.043 secs behind in second, with Max Verstappen third in the end - 0.173 secs behind Charles Leclerc.
4-10: Bottas, Perez, Russell, Zhou, Hamilton, Gasly, Piastri
Lively session!
Max Verstappen on team radio:
13:54 , Kieran Jackson
“The car is jumping like a kangaroo in the final sector!
The usual practice session tweaking needed on Max Verstappen’s Red Bull.
Charles Leclerc fastest with 10 to go
13:53 , Kieran Jackson
Big rush now to complete some qualifying simulation laps under the lights in Abu Dhabi!
With 10 minutes to go, Charles Leclerc is fastest with a 1:24:809 - two-tenths quicker than Alfa Romeo’s Valtteri Bottas.
Max Verstappen only tenth-fastest, but on medium tyres.
Max Verstappen in a hurry to get out of the pits!
13:47 , Kieran Jackson
In a rush to leave the pit lane, Max Verstappen tries to squeeze past a few cars in the very narrow pit lane in Abu Dhabi, which goes down through a tunnel.
It was very, very tight.
Hhhhmmm, not sure that’s really on.
Less than 15 minutes to go...
UPDATE: Session will resume at 1:45pm (GMT)
13:44 , Kieran Jackson
Cue a massive queue at the end of the Yas Marina pit lane...
Nico Hulkenberg now crashes!
13:39 , Kieran Jackson
And it’s another red flag!
Nico Hulkenberg has spun into the barrier out the exit of turn 1!
The rear wing of his car tapped the barrier but has now stopped on the track, meaning the session has to be stopped again!
Session suspended once more!
ANOTHER RED FLAG! 🔴
Nico Hülkenberg has spun out and hit the barrier just after the restart 😳👇 pic.twitter.com/k9T0e24xZ2— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) November 24, 2023
UPDATE: Session will resume at 1:35pm (GMT)
13:34 , Kieran Jackson
Just a few more minutes to wait now before second practice gets back underway!
The drivers will just have 25 minutes left. Obviously, Carlos Sainz will not be taking part...
Busy night in store for the Ferrari mechanics!
13:23 , Kieran Jackson
40 minutes left of the session - the clock keeps ticking in practice - and still they’re looking to lift and recover Carlos Sainz’s Ferrari.
For the second week running, the mechanics will be busy with a repair job!
"That is a HUGE amount of damage"
Martin Brundle gets up close to the Carlos Sainz crash 💥 pic.twitter.com/eUO6XylvH9— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) November 24, 2023
Carlos Sainz has hit the wall!
13:10 , Kieran Jackson
The Ferrari has smashed into the tecpro!
I think that’s at turn 3 - it’s a red flag!
Tell you what, it’s a heavy shunt! Sainz lost control and spun violently into the barrier!
“The dirty air gave me a massive snap, the bump as well I think.”
Session stopped.
SAINZ CRASHES OUT! 😳
Carlos Sainz loses control at Turn 3 and has crashed into the barriers, the red flag has been waved 😯🔴 pic.twitter.com/urgOMr5Sst— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) November 24, 2023
FP2 underway in Abu Dhabi!
13:04 , Kieran Jackson
Usual 20 drivers back in their cars now as we get going with the second practice session at the Yas Marina Circuit!
What is the race schedule?
12:58 , Kieran Jackson
(All times GMT)
Friday 24 November
Free practice 1: 9:30am
Free practice 2: 1pm
Saturday 25 November
Free practice 3: 10:30am
Qualifying: 2pm
Sunday 26 November
Race: 6am
Christian Horner reveals talks with Lewis Hamilton’s father over Red Bull seat
12:50 , Kieran Jackson
Christian Horner revealed that Lewis Hamilton’s father Anthony made an enquiry about Sergio Perez’s seat at Red Bull earlier this season.
Following on from an interview Horner gave saying that a representative of Hamilton had been in touch about joining the world champions, Hamilton had his say on Thursday – insisting that nobody from his team has been in touch and, in fact, Horner messaged him on an old phone.
The Mercedes driver added that Horner was simply “stirring things.”
Yet the Red Bull team principal looked to put the speculation to bed by divulging that it was Hamilton’s father and former manager Anthony who had touched base.
Full quotes below:
Christian Horner reveals talks with Lewis Hamilton’s father over Red Bull seat
Walking with the stars: Inside the white lines of the Las Vegas Grand Prix grid
12:37 , Kieran Jackson
Feature by Kieran Jackson
It’s Saturday night in Sin City, 9pm local time. One hour until lights out. Walking out of the media centre, across the car park of the Tuscany Suites and Casino, and up through the various security checkpoints, you arrive at the highly coveted, yet strangely downplayed open space that is the Formula One paddock. Halfway down, between the garages of Aston Martin and Alfa Romeo, lies the grid access lane: a portal to the forthcoming chaos.
There is a chill in the air. A cool 15C temperature which, predicted all week, is about to play havoc with tyres in the 50 laps ahead. A pause for breath and then the steel-faced American bodyguard gives the go-ahead. On you stroll, pretending you belong here. Welcome to the curiously flummoxing experience that is the F1 pre-race grid.
Full piece below:
Walking with the stars: Inside the white lines of the Las Vegas Grand Prix grid
Mick Schumacher returns to racing with Alpine in 2024
12:22 , Kieran Jackson
Mick Schumacher has been confirmed as a driver for Alpine in the World Endurance Championship next year.
The 24-year-old has been present in the Formula 1 paddock this season as a reserve driver for Mercedes, driving in the simulator and providing cover for Lewis Hamilton and George Russell.
The German driver, son of seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher, was dropped from his F1 race seat at Haas at the end of the 2022 season after two years but after experiencing a year without racing in 2023, Schumacher will race for Alpine in their Hypercar squad next season.
More detail below:
Mick Schumacher returns to racing with Alpine in 2024
Constructors’ Championship ahead of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix:
12:11 , Kieran Jackson
1) Red Bull - 822 points (champions)
2) Mercedes - 392 points
3) Ferrari - 388 points
4) McLaren - 284 points
5) Aston Martin - 273 points
6) Alpine - 120 points
7) Williams - 28 points
8) AlphaTauri - 21 points
9) Alfa Romeo - 16 points
10) Haas - 12 points
Lewis Hamilton takes aim at Christian Horner: ‘He’s stirring things!’
11:59 , Kieran Jackson
Lewis Hamilton insists Christian Horner is “stirring things” after the Red Bull team principal claimed the Mercedes driver’s team approached him about a move earlier this year.
A representative of Hamilton put out feelers about leaving Mercedes earlier this year, according to a report in the Daily Mail, with Red Bull and Ferrari both approached.
However, Hamilton, who has won six of his seven world titles at Mercedes, signed a new two-year contract with the Silver Arrows in September and, speaking in Abu Dhabi on Thursday, denied Horner’s claim.
“I know it’s [the story] come from Christian, I don’t really understand what he’s been talking about,” Hamilton told Sky Sports.
Full quotes below:
‘He’s stirring things!’ Lewis Hamilton takes aim at Christian Horner
Driver Standings ahead of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix:
11:29 , Kieran Jackson
1) Max Verstappen - 549 points (champion)
2) Sergio Perez - 273 points
3) Lewis Hamilton - 232 points
4) Carlos Sainz - 200 points
5) Fernando Alonso - 200 points
6) Lando Norris - 195 points
7) Charles Leclerc - 188 points
8) George Russell - 160 points
9) Oscar Piastri - 89 points
10) Lance Stroll - 73 points
11) Pierre Gasly - 62 points
12) Esteban Ocon - 58 points
13) Alex Albon - 27 points
14) Yuki Tsunoda - 13 points
15) Valtteri Bottas - 10 points
16) Nico Hulkenberg - 9 points
17) Daniel Ricciardo - 6 points
18) Zhou Guanyu - 6 points
19) Kevin Magnussen - 3 points
20) Liam Lawson - 2 points
21) Logan Sargeant - 1 point
21) Nyck de Vries - 0 points
Walking with the stars: Inside the white lines of the Las Vegas Grand Prix grid
11:15 , Kieran Jackson
Feature by Kieran Jackson
It’s Saturday night in Sin City, 9pm local time. One hour until lights out. Walking out of the media centre, across the car park of the Tuscany Suites and Casino, and up through the various security checkpoints, you arrive at the highly coveted, yet strangely downplayed open space that is the Formula One paddock. Halfway down, between the garages of Aston Martin and Alfa Romeo, lies the grid access lane: a portal to the forthcoming chaos.
There is a chill in the air. A cool 15C temperature which, predicted all week, is about to play havoc with tyres in the 50 laps ahead. A pause for breath and then the steel-faced American bodyguard gives the go-ahead. On you stroll, pretending you belong here. Welcome to the curiously flummoxing experience that is the F1 pre-race grid.
Full piece below:
Walking with the stars: Inside the white lines of the Las Vegas Grand Prix grid
FP1 RESULTS IN FULL:
10:58 , Kieran Jackson
FP1 CLASSIFICATION (60/60 mins)
Russell tops the session, Drugovich a close second 💪#F1 #AbuDhabiGP pic.twitter.com/DXGj70LYPg— Formula 1 (@F1) November 24, 2023
An unusually irate Oscar Piastri
10:42 , Kieran Jackson
"Classic Carlos, just sitting in the middle of the road, I see nothing has changed" 🗣
Oscar Piastri not happy with Carlos Sainz 👀👇 pic.twitter.com/fpaztkIAq8— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) November 24, 2023
George Russell fastest in FP1
10:33 , Kieran Jackson
The Mercedes driver is top of the leaderboard at the chequered flag in FP1, with a 1:26:072 on soft tyres.
Aston Martin’s Felipe Drugovich with an impressive P2 as a rookie driver, 0.288 secs off, while Daniel Ricciardo is third.
4-10: Bottas, Stroll, Piastri, Sainz, Shwartzman, Gasly, Tsunoda
As for the British rookies.... Jake Dennis finished 16th in Max Verstappen’s car, with Zak O’Sullivan P18 and Oliver Bearman P20.
George Russell still fastest
10:22 , Kieran Jackson
The Mercedes driver continues to lead the way at the top of the timesheet with his 1:26:072 lap three-tenths fastest than second place currently occupied by Aston Martin reserve Felipe Drugovich.
3-10: Bottas, Ricciardo, Piastri, Shwartzman, Gasly, Tsunoda, Sargeant, Vesti
Just under 10 minutes to go...
Scary moment for Aussie driver Jack Dooohan
10:11 , Kieran Jackson
"I almost had the biggest accident of my life!"
Jack Doohan is shaken up after coming dangerously close to crashing into Logan Sargeant 😱 pic.twitter.com/PblEi80KyC— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) November 24, 2023
Logan Sargeant up to P2 on the timesheet
10:06 , Kieran Jackson
The Williams driver - whose 2024 spot is yet to be confirmed - is now second on the leaderboard, but is still 0.925 secs off George Russell in first.
Frederik Vesti, in Lewis Hamilton’s car, now the best of the rookies in fourth place.
Just under 30 minutes to go...
McLaren’s Pato O’Ward quickest out of the rookies
09:53 , Kieran Jackson
The Mexican driver - who has been announced as a McLaren reserve next year - is the quickest of all the rookie drivers after the first 20 minutes. He’s sixth-fastest, 1.5 seconds off George Russell in first.
Yuki Tsunoda and Carlos Sainz complete the top-three.
Plenty of lock-ups and oversteers so far from the rookies, as they become accustomed to the rigours of a Formula 1 car. To be fair, it makes for intriguing viewing.
Jake Dennis coming into the pits
09:36 , Kieran Jackson
“I need to box, my helmet is nowhere near tight enough!”
Likely that the strain on the head/neck in F1 is quite different to Formula E!
Dennis is in Verstappen’s car this morning...
Who are the rookie drivers taking part?
09:35 , Kieran Jackson
Jake Dennis - Red Bull
Isack Hadjar - Red Bull
Frederik Vesti - Mercedes
Robert Shwartzman - Ferrari
Pato O’Ward - McLaren
Felipe Drugovich - Aston Martin
Jake Doohan - Alpine
Theo Pourchaire - Alfa Romeo
Oliver Bearman - Haas
Zak O’Sullivan - Williams
F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix practice!
09:30 , Kieran Jackson
We’re underway with first practice at Yas Marina!
A reminder: we’ve got 10 rookie drivers taking part in this one-hour session, including Formula E champion Jake Dennis and British teenagers Oliver Bearman and Zak O’Sullivan.
Lewis Hamilton takes aim at Christian Horner: ‘He’s stirring things!’
09:26 , Kieran Jackson
Lewis Hamilton insists Christian Horner is “stirring things” after the Red Bull team principal claimed the Mercedes driver’s team approached him about a move earlier this year.
A representative of Hamilton put out feelers about leaving Mercedes earlier this year, according to a report in the Daily Mail, with Red Bull and Ferrari both approached.
However, Hamilton, who has won six of his seven world titles at Mercedes, signed a new two-year contract with the Silver Arrows in September and, speaking in Abu Dhabi on Thursday, denied Horner’s claim.
“I know it’s [the story] come from Christian, I don’t really understand what he’s been talking about,” Hamilton told Sky Sports.
Full quotes below:
‘He’s stirring things!’ Lewis Hamilton takes aim at Christian Horner
What is the race schedule?
09:21 , Kieran Jackson
(All times GMT)
Friday 24 November
Free practice 1: 9:30am
Free practice 2: 1pm
Saturday 25 November
Free practice 3: 10:30am
Qualifying: 2pm
Sunday 26 November
Race: 6am
Why are Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen missing FP1 in Abu Dhabi?
09:19 , Kieran Jackson
Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen are among 10 drivers who will be absent from first practice at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Friday.
Last year, Formula 1 implemented a mandatory programme in which each car has to be driven by a rookie – defined as a driver who has started two or fewer F1 races – in at least one practice session per season.
A lot of teams and drivers have left it to the 22nd and final race of the season to sit out, with Charles Leclerc, Lando Norris and Sergio Perez also missing out on FP1 at the Yas Marina Circuit.
See all the changes below:
Why are Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen missing first practice in Abu Dhabi?
F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix practice!
09:16 , Kieran Jackson
Good morning and welcome to live coverage of the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix!
It’s the 22nd and final race of the season this weekend at the Yas Marina Circuit with Max Verstappen looking to record his 19th victory of the season after what has been an incredible year.
Stay right here for all the updates - first practice is at 9:30am (GMT)!