LEWIS HAMILTON is back this weekend as the F1 season concludes in Abu Dhabi.
The Brit star missed the Sakhir GP after testing positive for coronavirus, but will be back in his Mercedes for the season finale.
- Qualifying: 1pm, Saturday December 12
- Race: 1.10pm, Sunday December 13
Follow ALL the action from Abu Dhabi below…
- Jake Lambourne
IN THE NIC OF TIME
Relive the epic 2016 finale at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix where Lewis Hamilton beat Nico Rosberg.
But it was the German who would clinch the Formula One World Championship.
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- Ben Hunt
FP3 IS DONE – RED BULL LEAD THE WAY
It is Verstappen then Albon in the last session before qualifying in Abu Dhabi. Maybe they do have a chance of pole here.
Renault duo Ricciardo and Ocon in P3 and P4 while Norris in P5. Hamilton in P6.
But all this is largely meaningless as the track temperatures will be much lower for qualifying in two hours.
- Ben Hunt
AND NOW RENAULT PUMP IN SOME QUICK LAPS
Could the Oxfordshire-based team rival McLaren and Racing Point for third place in the championship?
- Ben Hunt
12 MINUTES TO GO
And some encouraging signs for Ferrari, who have two cars inside the top six.
Steady too from McLaren who looked quicker than Racing Point.
- Ben Hunt
PROBLEM FOR ALBON
His Red Bull is in the garage and his mechanics are looking over his car. He was fourth quickest before finishing his last run.
- Ben Hunt
THIS IS LOOKING CLOSE
Between the top two teams anyway….
- Ben Hunt
EARLY RUNS AND IT IS RED BULL AND MERC WHO TOP THE FIELD
No real shocks here in FP3 as the usual culprits are at the top of the timesheets.
McLaren also going well this weekend. Remember they are in the hunt for third place in the constructors' championship – worth considerable millions.
- Ben Hunt
HAMILTON IS GETTING READY
The world champion is preparing to get in his car, which is featuring a one-off livery this weekend, bearing the names of all the staff at Mercedes who have contributed to this season.
- Ben Hunt
SLOW START
No cars on track just yet. It does raise the point as to why F1 dedicates so much time over the weekend to practice, when a lot of the time, the track is empty.
- Ben Hunt
FP3 IS GO IN ABU DHABI
This is the final chances for teams to dial in their car's performance.
After yesterday's fire in Kimi Raikkonen's Alfa Romeo, the team will be using this session as a way to check over his rebuilt car.
- Jake Lambourne
BY GEORGE
Former Williams and McLaren driver Martin Brundle has given George Russell some advice after his heartache at the Sakhir GP.
The Sky Sports F1 pundit said: "My advice that I gave George, that he didn’t ask me for, don’t let this eat you up, don’t let it be a negative energy.
“Overall it was a fantastic weekend for the brand George Russell, for his career, for his own confidence.
“And I know from experience races that got away it can just keep gnawing away and it doesn’t do any good, you can’t change it, just keep his head down and believe in himself.
“Just remember that he might have locked a brake in qualifying, somebody might have run into the back of him in the first corner and taken him out of the race and he might never have been able to demonstrate that, so all-in-all he has to treat it as a brilliant experience.”
- Jake Lambourne
LEW CANNOT BE SERIOUS
Seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton said his first day back in the cockpit was a “messy”.
Speaking yesterday, he said: “I was very, very happy and grateful this morning just to be back here and obviously to be able to finish this season strong. Super excited, it felt like the first day back at school…
“It’s definitely been a bit of a messy day – there’s a lot going on and the guys have been on the road for three weeks.
"We’ve had a couple of gremlins, but we punched through them like we always do and tomorrow, I know, will be better.”
- Jake Lambourne
QUAL-ITY
Who is going to end up on pole position for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix?
- William Pugh
GOOD MORNING FORMULA ONE FANS
Lewis Hamilton has reflected on his F1 return this weekend.
He told Sky Sports: “I was very, very happy and grateful this morning just to be back here and obviously be able to try and finish this season strong.
“Super excited, it felt like the first day back at school.”Elsewhere, George Russell has shared his emotions after learning he would not be racing for Mercedes in Abu Dhabi.
He said: “It was a strange feeling, to be honest.
“Prior to Bahrain, I really wanted to have the two weeks in the car, purely because I was expecting to learn everything I needed to in Bahrain and I could have come here with no excuses, as such.
“As Bahrain did go so well from a performance perspective, part of me was like you know what, I think it was a good weekend, obviously I really wanted to win and I would have had a great opportunity this weekend.
“But nevertheless, these guys at Williams, they gave me that opportunity, they’ve been working so hard for me over the last two years.
“It’s my duty to send off the season on a high, and that’s what I’m here to do.”
And finally, Kimi Raikkonen was involved in a scary incident during the second free practice session in Abu Dhabi as his car burst into flames less than two weeks after Romain Grosjean’s horror crash.
Veteran Formula One driver Raikkonen, 41, was racing around the track as his Alfa Romeo suddenly spat fire out of the back.
He was involved in a scary incident during the second free practice session in Abu Dhabi as his car burst into flames less than two weeks after Romain Grosjean’s horror crash.
- Joe Brophy
GOOD TO SEE LEW
A returning Lewis Hamilton is poised to strike…
- Joe Brophy
'NOTHING TO PROVE'
Lewis Hamilton has insisted he has "nothing to prove" at this weekend's Abu Dhabi GP.
He told Sky Sports: "I just wanted to come here this weekend and enjoy what I do.
"It's been a huge amount of work from everyone back at the factories, and it's been a privilege to race with them this year.
"We don't have anything to prove this weekend, I don't feel like I have anything to prove, I'm just here to have some fun."
- Joe Brophy
LEW DID ME PROUD
Lewis Hamilton has lifted the lid on George Russell's performance in his absence.
He told Sky Sports: "I think George did an amazing job, I think everybody knows that," said Hamilton, before adding on his week: "It was definitely odd – in my 27 years of racing I've never missed a race.
"One day I'll write a book about it but as I said, just grateful to be back."
- Joe Brophy
LEW BEAUTY
Lewis Hamilton has reflected on his F1 return this weekend.
He said: "I was very, very happy and grateful this morning just to be back here and obviously be able to try and finish this season strong.
"Super excited, it felt like the first day back at school."
- Joe Brophy
'STRANGE FEELING'
George Russell has shared his emotions after learning he would not be racing for Mercedes in Abu Dhabi.
He said: "It was a strange feeling, to be honest.
"Prior to Bahrain, I really wanted to have the two weeks in the car, purely because I was expecting to learn everything I needed to in Bahrain and I could have come here with no excuses, as such.
"As Bahrain did go so well from a performance perspective, part of me was like you know what, I think it was a good weekend, obviously I really wanted to win and I would have had a great opportunity this weekend.
"But nevertheless, these guys at Williams, they gave me that opportunity, they've been working so hard for me over the last two years.
"It's my duty to send off the season on a high, and that's what I'm here to do."
- Joe Brophy
ICYMI
Kimi Raikkonen was involved in a scary incident during the second free practice session in Abu Dhabi as his car burst into flames less than two weeks after Romain Grosjean's horror crash.
Veteran Formula One driver Raikkonen, 41, was racing around the track as his Alfa Romeo suddenly spat fire out of the back.
was involved in a scary incident during the second free practice session in Abu Dhabi as his car burst into flames less than two weeks after Romain Grosjean's horror crash.
Veteran Formula One driver Raikkonen, 41, was racing around the track as his Alfa Romeo suddenly spat fire out of the back.
- William Pugh
THE ONE FER US
Fernando Alonso whipped round the track in his 2005 championship-winning Renault this afternoon in Abu Dhabi.
The Spaniard treated fans around the world before practice got underway.
- William Pugh
FLAMING HECK
Kimi Raikkonen's burned out Alfa Romeo was a sorry sight in the track in Abu Dhabi after it caught fire during FP2.
Flames started coming from the rear of the car before the Finn put the flames out himself.
- William Pugh
KAREFUL KIMI!
FP2 was brought to a temporary halt in Abu Dhabi after Kimi Raikkonen's Alfa Romeo caught fire.
The Fin escaped unharmed as the driver proceeded to put out the flames himself with the marshal's extinguisher.
- William Pugh
FINAL CLASSIFICATION!
Mercedes and Red Bull led the way in FP2 as the Mercedes drivers appear to have found their feet.
- William Pugh
FP2 IS FINISHED!
Mercedes lead the way after FP2 in Abu Dhabi.
But it's Valtteri Bottas not Lewis Hamilton who led the pack with the Brit coming in second.
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