F1 champion Hamilton fastest at final Abu Dhabi GP practice

IANS Saturday, 24 November 2018 07:00:10 PM

Abu Dhabi : British driver Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) set the fastest time in the third and final practice for the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix here on Saturday.

Hamilton clocked one minute and 37.176 seconds amid hot weather conditions at the Yas Marina circuit, 0.288 seconds ahead of Kimi Raikkonen of Finland (Ferrari).

Sebastian Vettel of Germany (Ferrari) came third, and has already secured second place in the 2018 driver standings.

Max Verstappen of the Netherlands (Red Bull) clocked fourth, after having come out on top in the first free practice on Friday.

Valtteri Bottas of Finland (Mercedes), who led the second free practice on Friday, finished fifth, and will be defending his win at the 2017 Abu Dhabi GP.

In the three-way duel to finish third in the 2018 driver standings, Raikonnen has a 14-point lead over Bottas, who is only three points ahead of Verstappen.

Qualifying for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is set to take place later Saturday, with the season finale on Sunday.