F1 Abu Dhabi GP live: Qualifying start time, schedule and practice results with Norris quicker than Verstappen

The answer is no; Norris and Verstappen did not have time to set another lap.

For the championship leader, a perfect day. Verstappen has been close in second but the gap in this session stands at a healthy 0.363 seconds.

George Russell takes third, with Ollie Bearman and Nico Hulkenberg rounding off the top-five. Oscar Piastri, meanwhile, has work to do, down in 11th.

6-10: Bortoleto, Hadjar, Leclerc, Alsono, Antonelli

Norris on softs, Verstappen on softs.

Will we have any late change to the top of the leaderboard?!

The Australian, who is still six-tenths off Norris, hasn’t got a time quick enough to even be in the top-10.

That probably won’t change either, as they all finish off the session with their race simulation runs.

Biggest statement Lando Norris has made so far today.

The championship leader goes fastest with a 1:23:083 – three-tenths quicker than Verstappen in second.

Oscar Piastri, as it stands, is six-tenths off the pace down in ninth.

The Dutchman with a 1:23:446 – a tenth quicker than Nico Hulkenberg in second.

3-10: Hadjar, Sainz, Bearman, Ocon, Norris, Leclerc, Piastri, Lawson

Main contenders yet to set a lap time on softs, other than Verstappen.

“The car is feeling much more put together, probably mostly from the wind shift.”

The Frenchman, who will be a Red Bull driver next year, is fastest early on with a 1:24:167 – 0.034 secs quicker than Ollie Bearman in second, both on soft tyres.

All the title protagonists on mediums at this early stage and ranked in the midfield.

And it’s on his title rival Lando Norris!

Norris “What’s this guy doing? I almost crashed.”

Verstappen was late to get out of the way at turn 1, but more his engineer’s fault than the driver.

Shouldn’t be anything more than a warning for Verstappen.

First outings of the day for the nine drivers who missed out this morning, including Oscar Piastri and Lewis Hamilton.

The only practice session to take place in qualifying and race conditions, so should be a key data-gatherer for the teams.

4. George Russell (Mercedes) – 309 points

5. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – 230 points

7. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) – 152 points

8. Alex Albon (Williams) – 73 points

9. Carlos Sainz (Williams) – 64 points

10. Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls) – 51 points

11. Nico Hulkenberg (Sauber) – 49 points

12. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) – 48 points

13. Ollie Bearman (Haas) – 41 points

14. Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) – 38 points

15. Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull) – 33 points

16. Esteban Ocon (Haas) – 32 points

17. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) – 32 points

18. Pierre Gasly (Alpine) – 22 points

19. Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber) – 19 points

20. Franco Colapinto (Alpine) – 0 points

21. Jack Doohan (Alpine) – 0 points