A weekend to fully enjoy, here's what awaits us at Abu Dhabi. The nerve-wracking wait to witness the last act of the global struggle between Lewis Hamilton e Max Verstappen it didn't allow us to enjoy the race weekend. This year things went differently and there were not just two protagonists in the spotlight but as many as 20. We were able to observe the small or big steps taken backwards or forwards by each rider, team. Thanks to the new regulation, but also a world championship that from Spa onwards has taken a unique direction towards Red Bull. Until Interlagos, the only race after the one in Austria to have been won by a team other than the Austrian one.
Abu Dhabi will not only be the last act of an intense season, condensed into a series of hat-tricks and back to back so as not to hinder the World Cup. But also the last “dance” of sebastian vettel, close to the retreat that will be celebrated throughout the weekend. He is the first to take to the track in FP1 in Abu Dhabi, with the writing "Danke Seb" on the halo. He is ready to take advantage of every second on the track that will be granted to him up to the checkered flag. The first session of the weekend ends with Lewis Hamilton's best time in 1:26.633, with a margin of 2 tenths over George Russell.
Lots of new faces
In Abu Dhabi, the last round of the world championship, FP1 was mainly reserved for roockies who, by regulation, had to include at least 2 sessions of their seasonal free practice program in each team. As many as 8 non-registered riders took to the track in this session. In particular they are: Philip Drugovich in Aston, Robert Schwartzman in Ferrari, Logan sargeant with Williams, Liam Lawson. at Red Bull, Pato O'Ward on the McLaren, Pietro fittipaldi in Haas, jack doohan in Alpine and finally Robert Kubica with Alfa Romeo. For some a return, for others a debut or tests for 2023. In fact, just this weekend, Sargeant will have the definitive answer on his future in F1, still formally "blocked" by the superlicence.
FP1 did not start well for the McLaren of Pato O'Ward, in place of Norris, who was forced to return to the pits probably due to a hydraulic problem. Problems also for Sargeant who almost hit the wall in turn 1 in the middle of the session after losing the rear in braking. Logan, who replaces Latifs in this session, as an "appetizer" of what we will see next year, he had just started a push lap. After the spin, however, he managed to get back on track.
Mercedes excels here too
A week after the first hit of the season scored by George Russell in Brazil, Mercedes is still up front, with a 1-2 in FP1. The teams did different jobs, some dedicated to long runs in the first part of the session, some in the last. There is also who, how Leclerc he only rode on the softs. We don't know the fuel loads and the weekend is still long but the morning got off to a good start for the Brackley team who takes the lead with Lewis Hamilton chasing his first win of the season. Leclerc's Ferrari follows in P3 35 thousandths behind Russell. However, the absence of Verstappen and Sainz should be considered. To underline instead the excellent work of Lawson, who finished FP1 immediately behind Sergio Perez, in P5. The best of the roockie, 2 tenths from Perez.
The Maranello team has chosen to differentiate the work in FP1 in Abu Dhabi, giving Robert a fund to test in view of 2023, and which therefore will not be used during the race weekend.
Ferrari's season has gone from the initial objective of fighting for victories to that after the first race, of fighting for the world championship. A missed goal in a way that has put in discussion more than one head within the Maranello staff.
Waiting for FP2 here i time of the first session of free trials!
