Russell Steals the Spotlight in Final Practice at Yas Marina

On a weekend dominated so far by the title fight between Norris and Verstappen, the Mercedes driver inserted himself firmly into the conversation by edging the championship protagonists in a tight and tense session at Yas Marina. Russell’s best lap – a 1:23.334 – was just enough to deny Norris a clean sweep of all three practice sessions.

A tight FP3 sets the tone

FP3 in Abu Dhabi is the final opportunity for teams to refine their qualifying set‑ups. The timesheets told a clear story: the top three of Russell, Norris and Verstappen were closely matched, with less than a tenth covering them at the end of the hour. This narrow spread has several key implications:

• No clear favourite: While McLaren has looked strong and Red Bull has found performance, Mercedes’ pace means the fight for pole is a genuine three‑way contest.
• Execution will be decisive: Factors like tyre preparation, traffic management and delivering a clean lap in Q3 could easily swing the balance.
• Psychological pressure: For Norris and Verstappen, being beaten by Russell is a reminder that they must guard against an upset from Mercedes.

Norris remains the reference

Despite missing out on the top spot in FP3, Lando Norris remains the reference driver of the weekend so far. Norris led both FP1 and FP2 and once again featured at the sharp end in FP3. His consistency suggests that McLaren’s baseline package is very strong, particularly in terms of one‑lap pace.

Verstappen and Red Bull: Closer, but still chasing

Max Verstappen’s third place in FP3 indicates that Red Bull has made progress since Friday. The gap to the front has narrowed, and Verstappen appears more comfortable with the balance of the car. For Red Bull, FP3 offered encouragement that the car is now in the mix for pole, but also a warning that any small mistake could leave him behind both a McLaren and a Mercedes.

Hamilton’s crash adds a twist

While Russell’s performance was the headline, Lewis Hamilton’s crash in FP3 added a complicating factor. Hamilton lost the rear of the car and hit the barriers, bringing out a red flag. This reduces data for Mercedes and places increased focus on Russell as the team’s primary hope for a front‑row start.

Conclusion: Russell reshuffles the deck

George Russell’s fastest time has reshuffled the narrative heading into a crucial qualifying session. By beating Norris and Verstappen, the Mercedes driver has turned what looked like a straight McLaren–Red Bull duel into a three‑way fight. Qualifying at Yas Marina promises to be one of the most intense sessions of the season.