McLaren secured fresh momentum in their title charge with a dominant FP3 session, while Lewis Hamilton bounced back to claim the top three spot. Oscar Piastri topped the session from his McLaren teammate Lando Norris, but Hamilton made a bold move in the final minutes of the session.
Hamilton had initially been frustrated due to a Mercedes sticker on his car, but he found extra performance when others struggled. This helped him jump up the order and claim third place behind Piastri and Norris.
The session saw a strong showing from Haas, with Kevin Magnussen taking P1 and Nico Hulkenberg in P3. However, Alex Albon’s new softs secured him the top spot before Piastri moved up to take the lead.
McLaren then took control, with Piastri and Norris trading the top spots. Hamilton made a late surge to claim third place, pushing Max Verstappen out of the runner-up spot.
The results showed McLaren building further momentum in their Constructors’ title charge. With qualifying just around the corner, McLaren is poised to take advantage of Ferrari’s struggles, which saw Charles Leclerc finish P9 and Carlos Sainz in P4.
Source: https://www.planetf1.com/news/abu-dhabi-grand-prix-2024-fp3-report