PRACTICE: Chambers goes fastest in final 2024 Practice around Yas Marina

Chloe Chambers stamped her mark on the final Practice session of the 2024 F1 ACADEMY season, getting it off to the perfect start by pipping Alpine driver Abbi Pulling and Mercedes’ Doriane Pin to the top spot.

Less than two tenths separated the top four, as the Haas driver went quickest on a 1:56.175 with three minutes left on the clock. Pulling finished 0.138s back in second, whilst Pin leapt ahead of Hamda Al Qubaisi to seal third at the chequered flag.

Pulling got the first time of the day on the board on a 2:01.401 and soon set about rediscovering the pace she’d shown during the three day in-season test at the Yas Marina Circuit.

With only four times on the board inside the opening 10 minutes, the Alpine driver’s 1:57.182 put her almost two tenths ahead of Rodin Motorsport teammate Jessica Edgar.

Driving on home soil, Hamda Al Qubaisi moved up into second before lowering the time to beat to a 1:57.099 to lead by 0.083s from Pulling.

Bianca Bustamante briefly went to P1, but Hamda Al Qubaisi continued to push on, setting a 1:56.662 to go two tenths clear. The Red Bull Racing driver then extended the gap to 0.435s, before improving further to a 1:56.655 with over 12 minutes remaining.

Seizing back the top spot, Pulling went fastest on a 1:56.527, pipping the Emirati driver by 0.128s. Bettering her previous efforts with a 1:56.313, she extended her advantage to over three tenths. Pin became her nearest rival in second momentarily, before Hamda Al Qubaisi moved the #8 car back into second.

Chambers had one more improvement left in the tank and put Campos Racing on top of the timing sheets with a 1:56.175, ahead of Pulling. Pin saved her best to last, jumping ahead of Hamda Al Qubaisi for third by 0.016s as the chequered flag was waved.

Bustamante was fifth-fastest ahead of Nerea Martí, Edgar, Amna Al Qubaisi, Tina Hausmann and Aurelia Nobels for PUMA.

WHAT’S NEXT?

Three pole positions are up for grabs when Qualifying gets underway at 18:35 local time (GMT+4) to set the grids for Races 1, 2 and 3.