F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix: Charles Leclerc tops practice as Carlos Sainz crashes

Saturday, 25 November 2023 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz and Haas driver Nico Hulkenberg both crashed in an eventful Friday second practice session at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

The session was shortened to 20 minutes following a near half-hour delay caused by repairs to barriers damaged by Sainz in a heavy crash at Turn Three.

Hulkenberg’s off at Turn One then immediately cost another seven minutes.

Sainz’s team-mate Charles Leclerc set the pace, just 0.043 seconds ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris.

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen was third fastest, 0.173secs off the pace, complaining at one point that his car was “bouncing like a kangaroo” in the final sector of the lap around the marina.

Mercedes driver George Russell was sixth fastest, behind the Alfa Romeo of Valtteri Bottas and the second Red Bull of Sergio Perez. Lewis Hamilton in the second Mercedes was eighth fastest, 0.193secs behind his team-mate.