What went on in final F1 practice of 2024

McLaren maintained its imperious Formula 1 finale form in the last practice session of the 2024 campaign at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

The Woking-based team, which needs to not so much 'hold serve' as just avoid total meltdown this weekend to secure its first constructors' title since 1998 with a current 21-point lead, locked out the top two spots with Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris.

Both Piastri and Norris were towards the sharp end during their first runs in the session, albeit overshadowed - like everyone else - by an overperforming Haas team.

But when it came down to fresh softs in the final minutes for mock qualifying runs, the MCL38s looked untouchable - with Norris two tenths down on Piastri but still two tenths up on the best of the rest.

They did the damage in the twisty half-minute final sector in particular - Piastri on a 30.2s, Norris on a 30.3s and none of their rivals even within a quarter of a second of Piastri's time in that section.

Lewis Hamilton, who looks distinctly the more comfortable Mercedes driver this weekend, lifted himself into third in his final practice session with the team with a last-gasp push on what were already used softs.

It demoted 2024 champion Max Verstappen to fourth, the Dutchman having reported a lack of braking performance after his fastest lap.

Ferrari needs an all-timer weekend to snatch the constructors' title from McLaren - hampered by a 10-place grid penalty for Leclerc for a battery change - and was largely anonymous in FP3. Fifth-placed Carlos Sainz was four tenths off and ninth-placed Leclerc another two tenths down.

Leclerc, when informed of Piastri's eventual session-topping time on the radio, told Ferrari matter-of-factly: "We are nowhere."

One driver who faced an even grimmer outlook at the start of the session was Russell, lapping a second off Hamilton and totally confused by where the deficit was coming from given the car balance felt reasonable.

He did take a considerable step forward as the session progressed, ultimately ending up sixth.

Haas did not replicate its superb early-session form in the late runs, but still fitted both cars very firmly into the top 10, Nico Hulkenberg in seventh just 0.001s ahead of Kevin Magnussen in eighth.

Sergio Perez, who is believed to be contesting his final weekend as a Red Bull driver, was four tenths off team-mate Verstappen in 10th.

Alpine, which needs to prevent Haas from overturning a five-point deficit so as to hang on to sixth in the constructors' standings, was outside the top 10 with both cars.

But it will likely take great encouragement from the laptime set by its new driver Jack Doohan, making his debut in lieu of the sidelined Esteban Ocon.

Doohan was 19th in both sessions on Friday, but ended up 14th - and just a quarter of a tenth down on team regular Pierre Gasly - in final practice.