George Russell Tops Abu Dhabi Grand Prix First Practice

Ten rookies step in for regular Formula One drivers in heated session, with main battle between Mercedes and Ferrari for second place.

George Russell topped the timesheets in the first practice for the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, with a time of 1 minute 26.072 seconds on soft tyres.
Ten rookies replaced half of the regular Formula One field for the practice session, including Formula E champion Jake Dennis and French F2 driver Isack Hadjar.
Red Bull's Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez, as well as Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton, sat out the session.
The main battle in the season's final race is between Mercedes and Ferrari for second place, as both titles have already been won by Verstappen and Red Bull.
Despite the afternoon heat during the practice session, the actual race will take place after dark.