Charles Leclerc was the quickest of all drivers in Friday practice at this weekend’s season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, setting the pace ahead of rivals Lando Norris and Max Verstappen.

Following the earlier running in sunnier unrepresentative conditions, the drivers returned to a much cooler Yas Marina circuit as the sun began to set and temperatures dropped.

Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton led a group of 10 drivers getting their first run out today having sat out FP1. Others getting their first look included Leclerc, Zhou Guanyu, Esteban Ocon, Lando Norris, Sergio Perez, Nico Hulkenberg, Alex Albon, and Fernando Alonso.

With 25 minutes now gone the drivers returned to the track, with many opting to go on to a set of the soft tyres for some qualifying simulation laps – with Sainz now watching on from the garage with his car now removed from the track.

But as the drivers began to get back to business, the red flags were waved once more as the cameras panned to a stricken Nico Hulkenberg. Replays showed the Haas racer spin into the barrier at the exit of Turn 1 as he set off on his flying lap.