F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix LIVE: Qualifying updates and FP3 times at Yas Marina

Halfway through the session and Max Verstappen is up to second - 0.529 secs off George Russell’s first-place time of 1:24:829.

Sergio Perez is in fourth, with McLaren’s Oscar Piastri splitting the Red Bull.

5-10: Stroll, Alonso, Norris, Ocon, Albon, Tsunoda

The Mercedes driver, quickest in FP1 on Friday, the fastest early on here on the softs - 1:25:163.

Sergio Perez is two-tenths back in second, with Lance Stroll third.

4-10: Alonso, Verstappen, Piastri, Norris, Hamilton, Leclerc, Sainz

“Quite a lot of rear sliding a lot,” says Verstappen. Still not quite satisfied with the balance of the car it seems.

Third and final practice is underway! Lewis Hamilton the first driver out on track...

Not usually a representative session given the temperatures in the Abu Dhabi sun, but after limited running on Friday, it could well be crucial!

Third practice at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix coming right up - it’s set to be a hectic one after the two crashes yesterday!

Christian Horner revealed that Lewis Hamilton’s father Anthony made an enquiry about Sergio Perez’s seat at Red Bull earlier this season.

Following on from an interview Horner gave saying that a representative of Hamilton had been in touch about joining the world champions, Hamilton had his say on Thursday – insisting that nobody from his team has been in touch and, in fact, Horner messaged him on an old phone.

The Mercedes driver added that Horner was simply “stirring things.”

Yet the Red Bull team principal looked to put the speculation to bed by divulging that it was Hamilton’s father and former manager Anthony who had touched base.

Full quotes below:

Mick Schumacher has been confirmed as a driver for Alpine in the World Endurance Championship next year.

The 24-year-old has been present in the Formula 1 paddock this season as a reserve driver for Mercedes, driving in the simulator and providing cover for Lewis Hamilton and George Russell.

The German driver, son of seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher, was dropped from his F1 race seat at Haas at the end of the 2022 season after two years but after experiencing a year without racing in 2023, Schumacher will race for Alpine in their Hypercar squad next season.

More detail below:

1) Red Bull - 822 points (champions)

2) Mercedes - 392 points

3) Ferrari - 388 points

4) McLaren - 284 points

5) Aston Martin - 273 points

6) Alpine - 120 points

7) Williams - 28 points

8) AlphaTauri - 21 points

9) Alfa Romeo - 16 points

10) Haas - 12 points

Feature by Kieran Jackson

It’s Saturday night in Sin City, 9pm local time. One hour until lights out. Walking out of the media centre, across the car park of the Tuscany Suites and Casino, and up through the various security checkpoints, you arrive at the highly coveted, yet strangely downplayed open space that is the Formula One paddock. Halfway down, between the garages of Aston Martin and Alfa Romeo, lies the grid access lane: a portal to the forthcoming chaos.

There is a chill in the air. A cool 15C temperature which, predicted all week, is about to play havoc with tyres in the 50 laps ahead. A pause for breath and then the steel-faced American bodyguard gives the go-ahead. On you stroll, pretending you belong here. Welcome to the curiously flummoxing experience that is the F1 pre-race grid.

Full piece below:

1) Max Verstappen - 549 points (champion)

2) Sergio Perez - 273 points

3) Lewis Hamilton - 232 points

4) Carlos Sainz - 200 points

5) Fernando Alonso - 200 points

6) Lando Norris - 195 points

7) Charles Leclerc - 188 points

8) George Russell - 160 points

9) Oscar Piastri - 89 points

10) Lance Stroll - 73 points

11) Pierre Gasly - 62 points

12) Esteban Ocon - 58 points

13) Alex Albon - 27 points

14) Yuki Tsunoda - 13 points

15) Valtteri Bottas - 10 points

16) Nico Hulkenberg - 9 points

17) Daniel Ricciardo - 6 points

18) Zhou Guanyu - 6 points

19) Kevin Magnussen - 3 points

20) Liam Lawson - 2 points

21) Logan Sargeant - 1 point

21) Nyck de Vries - 0 points