Lewis Hamilton’s professed doubts about how competitive the Mercedes cars could be in Abu Dhabi proved to be wide of the mark after the first Formula 1 practice session at Yas Marina Circuit.
After a middling start, he and Mercedes teammate George Russell, who won his first grand prix last week in Brazil, shot to the top of the timesheet after switching to soft tyres midway through the hour.
Hamilton posted a time of 1:26.633, with Russell 0.22 behind.
The move proved an upset for championship runner-up contenders Charles Leclerc and Sergio Perez. The Ferrari and Red Bull drivers were nudged into third and fourth place after occupying one and two for the majority of the session.
Alfa Romeo’s Valtteri Bottas made a bid to break up the cosy twosome’s party, as did Williams’ Alex Albon, but the runner-up rivals seemed destined to shake off all contenders. Not so, though.
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The sky was filled with streaks of red, white, green and black as Al Fursan aerial display team whizzed above Yas Marina Circuit in the UAE capital in their Aermacchi MB-339A jets joined by Etihad Boeing 737 before the start of Abu Dhabi Formula One Grand Prix. Victor Besa / The National -
Marcus Ericsson and Iris Jondahl on championship day behind the Pit Lane Walk at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National -
Emi Suzuki and Eric Tanner on championship race day behind the Pit Lane Walk at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National -
Race fans arrive on championship day behind the Pit Lane Walk at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National -
Antonio Silva, Adrian Lee-chin and Rogers Sithole on championship day behind the Pit Lane Walk at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National -
McLaren Team yearl ender photo session with Daniel Ricciardo and Lando Norris on championship day behind the Pit Lane Walk at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National -
End of Year F1 Driver’s Photo Session and Parade 2022. Victor Besa / The National -
Sebastian Vettel waves to fans during the driver's parade. Victor Besa / The National -
Lewis Hamilton during the End of Year F1 Driver’s Photo Session and Parade 2022. Victor Besa / The National -
End of Year F1 Driver’s Photo Session and Parade 2022. Victor Besa / The National -
End of Year F1 Driver’s Photo Session and Parade 2022. Victor Besa / The National -
End of Year F1 Driver’s Photo Session and Parade 2022. Victor Besa / The National -
Lewis Hamilton of Red Bull arrives at Yas Marina Circuit on the final day of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2022. Victor Besa / The National -
Jackie Stewart arrives at Marina Circuit on the final day of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2022. Victor Besa / The National -
Daniel Ricciardo of McLaren arrives at Yas Marina Circuit on the final day of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2022. Victor Besa / The National -
Lance Stroll of Aston Martin arrives at Yas Marina Circuit on the final day of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2022. Victor Besa / The National -
George Russell of Mercedes arrives with girlfriend Carmen Montero at Marina Circuit on the final day of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2022. Victor Besa / The National -
Max Verstappen prepares to drive in the garage during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi at Yas Marina Circuit on Friday. Getty -
Sergio Perez of Mexico gets ready for practice at Yas Marina on Friday. Getty -
Sergio Perez of Mexico with Oracle Red Bull Racing team members prepares for the Abu Dhabi race. Getty -
Liam Lawson of New Zealand and Oracle Red Bull Racing prepares to drive at Yas Marina on Friday. Getty -
Yuki Tsunoda of Japan and Scuderia AlphaTauri prepares to drive in the garage during practice on Friday. Getty -
Yuki Tsunoda of Japan and Scuderia AlphaTauri prepares to drive in the garage during practice on Friday. Getty -
Liam Lawson of New Zealand and Carlin (5) drives in qualifying ahead of Round 14 at Yas Island on Friday. Getty -
Best friends Shamsa Al Naqbi, Shamsa Al Mansoori and Alyazia Al Kalbaniat at the F1 fanzone area in Yas Marina Circuit on Friday. Victor Besa / The National -
Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton and Red Bull's Sergio Perez in action during practice on Friday. Reuters -
Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton arrives at Yas Marina Circut ahead of Friday's first practice for the 2022 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Reuters -
McLaren's Daniel Ricciardo arrives ahead of practice. Reuters -
Ferrari's Charles Leclerc arrives ahead of Friday's first practice. Reuters -
AlphaTauri's Pierre Gasly. Reuters -
Formula One world champion Red Bull's Max Verstappen arrives ahead of practice. Reuters -
Aston Martin's Sebastian Vettel poses for a selfie. Reuters -
Aston Martin's German driver Sebastian Vettel poses for a selfie with a fan. AFP -
McLaren's British driver Lando Norris arrives before the first practice session ahead of the Abu Dhabi Formula One Grand Prix at the Yas Marina Circuit. AFP -
McLaren's Australian driver Daniel Ricciardo arrives at Yas Marina Circuit. AFP -
Williams' Thai driver Alex Albon and Canadian teammate Nicholas Latifi. AFP -
AlphaTauri's Japanese driver Yuki Tsunoda arrives before the first practice session. AFP -
Yuki Tsunoda of Japan and Scuderia AlphaTauri team members walk the track at Yas Marina. Getty -
F1 world champion Max Verstappen of Oracle Red Bull Racing (R) speaks to FIA president Mohammed ben Sulayem. AP -
Red Bull reserve driver Liam Lawson has a seat fitting in the Red Bull Racing garage. Getty -
Staff at the circuit. Victor Besa / The National -
Fans walk on the tracks of Yas Marina Circuit. Victor Besa / The National -
Staff prepare for the F1 race. Victor Besa / The National -
Fans take a photo. Victor Besa / The National -
Yachts are moored at the marina. Victor Besa / The National
Red Bull's reserve driver Liam Lawson, filling in for world champion Max Verstappen, took fifth spot, while Sebastian Vettel, who is racing in his 299th and final F1 race, improved on a moderate start to take sixth for Aston Martin
Another reserve driver, Ferrari’s Robert Shwartzman, was next in line, while Daniel Ricciardo proved he is still up for the fight with an eighth placing in his McLaren.
Bottas and Albon rounded out the top 10.
The session’s first dramatic moment came as Williams driver Logan Sargeant span his car in a shower of smoke, narrowly avoid collision with the barrier at turn 1.
