Abu Dhabi GP Practice Three: Max Verstappen on top for Red Bull

Watch Yas Marina qualifying live on Sky Sports F1 at 1pm

By Matt Morlidge at Yas Marina

Max Verstappen has shot into pole contention for the final qualifying of F1 2019 after topping Practice Three at the Abu Dhabi GP, with the in-form Red Bull star edging Mercedes duo Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas.

Mercedes set the pace in both practice sessions on Friday and looked likely to do the same in P3 as Hamilton led the way, but Verstappen produced his fastest lap of the weekend to beat the season's champion by 0.074s.

Hamilton is the only Mercedes driver in the hunt for pole due to Bottas' penalty, but their appears to be a three-team battle for qualifying - which is live on Sky Sports F1 at 1pm.

Qualifying schedule on Sky Sports F1

Alex Albon was fourth, three-tenths slower than Verstappen, for a Red Bull team who are looking for back-to-back poles for the first time since 2013.

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Ferrari, on pole in six of the eight races since the summer break, were fifth and sixth, although Sebastian Vettel and Charles Leclerc were only 0.4s off the pace despite setting their fastest times on the slower medium tyres.

Both drivers were mighty on the straights, before losing time to Mercedes and Red Bull in the twisty final sector.

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"It seems to be a three-way fight, which is great," said Sky F1's Nico Rosberg, the 2016 world champion.

"Lewis is back too after hibernating yesterday, back ahead of Bottas."

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The battle for Q3 also looks to be a tight one, with Sergio Perez placing seventh for Racing Point but only just ahead of Renault and McLaren, with Daniel Ricciardo and Carlos Sainz leading their respective charges.

Pierre Gasly was 10th for a Toro Rosso team who are hoping to edge out Renault in the battle for fifth in the constructors' standings.

Abu Dhabi GP Practice Three Timesheet

Driver Team Time
1. Max Verstappen Red Bull 1:36.566
2. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +0.074
3. Valtteri Bottas Mercedes +0.089
4. Alexander Albon Red Bull +0.361
5. Sebastian Vettel Ferrari +0.409
6. Charles Leclerc Ferrari +0.444
7. Sergio Perez Racing Point +0.950
8. Daniel Ricciardo Renault +1.049
9. Carlos Sainz McLaren +1.125
10. Pierre Gasly Toro Rosso +1.170
11. Romain Grosjean Haas +1.202
12. Daniil Kvyat Toro Rosso +1.397
13. Lando Norris McLaren +1.534
14. Kevin Magnussen Haas +1.632
15. Lance Stroll Racing Point +1.896
16. Kimi Raikkonen Alfa Romeo +1.948
17. Nico Hulkenberg Renault +2.014
18. Antonio Giovinazzi Alfa Romeo +2.216
19. George Russell Williams +2.640
20. Robert Kubica Williams +3.293
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