YAS ISLAND, Abu Dhabi (AP) — Red Bull driver Max Verstappen was fastest ahead of teammate Alexander Albon in the third and final practice session for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix ahead of qualifying later on Saturday.
Verstappen led Albon by .5 seconds and Renault driver Daniel Ricciardo by .63. Ricciardo is competing in his last race for Renault before joining McLaren next year and has two third-place finishes this season.
It was a quiet session for Mercedes, by its high standards, with world champion Lewis Hamilton sixth and Valtteri Bottas down in ninth place on the leaderboard.
Verstappen is looking for his first pole position of the season and third of his career.
Hamilton has won 11 races this year but missed last Sunday's Sakhir GP in Bahrain as he recovered from the coronavirus.
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1of4Red Bull driver Alexander Albon of Thailand in action during third practice at the Formula One Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Saturday, Dec. 11, 2020Kamran Jebreili/APShow MoreShow Less2of4Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands steers his car during the second free practice at the Yas Marina racetrack in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Friday, Dec. 11, 2020. The Emirates Formula One Grand Prix will take place on Sunday. (Hamad Mohammed, Pool via AP)Hamad Mohammed/APShow MoreShow Less3of4Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands in action during thrid practice at the Formula One Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Saturday, Dec. 11, 2020 (Giuseppe Cacace, Pool via AP)Giuseppe Cacace/APShow MoreShow Less4of4Renault driver Daniel Ricciardo of Australia in action during third practice at the Formula One Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Saturday, Dec. 11, 2020Kamran Jebreili/APShow MoreShow Less
