Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas posted the fastest time in the first practice session for the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas posted the fastest time Friday in the first practice session for the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Bottas finished .535 seconds ahead of Red Bull driver Max Verstappen and .634 ahead of Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton.
Hamilton clinched his sixth world title two races ago, and celebrated by briefly swapping the No. 44 on his car bonnet for No. 1.
Just before the end of the session at a sunny Yas Marina circuit, Sebastian Vettel lost control of his Ferrari on Turn 19 and crashed into the barriers.
Earlier, Renault driver Daniel Ricciardo stalled with an engine failure, causing oil to leak onto the track.
There was a second practice session scheduled for later Friday.
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