F1 Abu Dhabi GP Live Commentary and Updates - FP3

Practice starts are the final order of the session, as everyone trundles around to the starting grid to get their turn. No more practice in 2024, but the main events in Abu Dhabi are coming up next.

A couple of quick examples of drivers suffering with the soft tyres overheating into the final sector. Norris goes wide coming under the hotel section, while Magnussen has big slides out of the final three corners and loses so much lap time.

With Russell fifth, a nod to the Haas pair with Hulkenberg sixth and Magnussen seventh, ahead of Hamilton and Leclerc. Meanwhile Perez is still struggling, currently down in 14th and losing six-tenths to his team-mate over a push lap.

What can Ferrari produce? Sainz goes fourth fastest but Leclerc can only manage ninth. Quiet encouragement for McLaren in the constructors' fight.

Verstappen catches a snap of oversteer into Turn 5 which forces him to give up on that lap. Teams won't be chasing set-up solutions to these conditions given it will be cooler come qualifying. Just a case of living with it and getting the feel right in the context of the cooler conditions to come.

Sainz and Verstappen, both on mediums, move up to second and third respectively but neither can topple Magnussen at the top.

Sainz has a smoky Ferrari but there is no sign of concern from the Spanish driver or the team as he continues on.

Impressive pace straight out of the box today from Haas, with Magnussen fastest and Hulkenberg third. The US squad is five points behind Alpine in the fight for sixth in the constructors', so it needs a decent points haul to beat the French squad but so far it is looking good.

The "every dream needs a team" sticker has been taken off Hamilton's cockpit which was position right at the front and in his eyeline.

The Dutch driver goes fifth on the times, half a second off the outright pace, which appears to be an encouraging start.

Verstappen, who was struggling for balance throughout Friday, is out on the medium tyres. Has Red Bull's overnight sim and data churning found the solutions?

Hamilton has asked for a sticker to be removed from inside his cockpit but it isn't totally clear which one. But the #44 sticker will be coming off that car at the end of the year regardless.

Alonso, back out on the softs, has to take avoiding action from a swooping bird. Not sure that bird is long for this world if it thinks it can take on an F1 car.

Both Aston Martins pit after a lap on the mediums, while both Alpines have nipped out on the softs. That allows the F1 TV helicopter to follow Gasly around for a lap and take in the harbour scenery. Some lovely tupperware boats out there, as my Grandad would say.

Both Alonso and Stroll duly pit for pitstop practice and switch to the medium tyres before getting going again. Still nobody else fancies it, but all the drivers are in their garages at least, just standing around doing nothing. The life of an F1 driver.

The Aston Martin pair break the silence with an exploratory lap on the hard tyres, Alonso leading out his younger team-mate into the Abu Dhabi sunshine.

Some of the drivers have appeared in their garages but some are still missing. We're expecting a very sedate start to this session as is customary. No point burning through tyres in conditions that are not useful or relevant.