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Bottas fastest in EL1 at Yas Marina, Vettel on the rails

The Mercedes driver, who will have to start from the back of the grid on Sunday, sets the first time reference of the last weekend of the season. 

Published on 29/11/2019 à 11:43

Julien BILLIOTTE

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Bottas fastest in EL1 at Yas Marina, Vettel on the rails

Valtteri Bottas already knows that he will not be able to fight for pole position at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix due to an engine penalty. This did not prevent the Finn from showing off on a track that he particularly likes by achieving the best time in the first free practice sessions. 

Bottas stops the clock with a time of 1'36''957 and is ahead of the Red Bull de Max Verstappen by more than half a second. The pilot Mercedes is the only one to go under minute 37 on a lap. His six-time world champion teammate Lewis Hamilton, who furtively sported the No. 1 on the muzzle of his car at the start of the session, settles for 3rd time by more than six tenths. Alexander albon climbs to 4th place at the wheel of his Red Bull. The Thai rookie, however, is more than a full second behind Bottas' benchmark. 

After her late arrival in Abu Dhabi, a consequence of the birth of her 3rd child on Thursday, Sebastian Vettel finishes 5th in EL1 and ends up in the rail after going off the track in the final moments of the session. The quadruple world champion's mishap led to a red flag which shortened the session by a few minutes. 

Nice performance from Romain Grosjean, which is in 6th position with its Haas. The Frenchman inserts himself between the two Ferrari since Charles Leclerc emerges in 7th place, ahead of the second VF-19, that of Kevin Magnussen. The American team is visibly regaining some speed at the end of the season, even though it is using the initial version of its capricious single-seater… 

Antonio Giovinazzi ensures the presence of almost all Ferrari engines in the Top 10 with a 9th fastest time for the driver Alfa Romeo. Only his teammate Kimi Räikkönen is missing in the first half of the table completed by Nico Hulkenberg (Renault). 

His garage neighbor Daniel Ricciardo had to shorten his session due to engine failure which also resulted in a red flag. Fortunately for the Australian and his French team, it was a high-mileage booster and its replacement will not result in a step back on the grid on Sunday. 

Heroes of Interlagos, Pierre Gasly settles for 16th time, one rank behind his teammate Toro Rosso Daniil Kvyat. Discreet session also for McLaren with the 11th beat of Lando Norris and 17nd place in Carlos Sainz. 

Julien BILLIOTTE

AUTOhebdo deputy editor-in-chief. The feather dipped in gall.

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