F1 practice LIVE: Max Verstappen fastest in second practice ahead of George Russell and Charles Leclerc

The stage was set.

Billed as the “Decider in the Desert”, the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was the final chapter in a Formula 1 season for the ages. Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton were battered and bruised – but still in the fight. Level quite astoundingly on 369.5 points after 21 races, it all came down to this.

Now, as F1 returns to Abu Dhabi for the first time since that thrilling and controversial finale last year, The Independent revisits the story of Sunday 12 December 2021 from the eyes of those at the Yas Marina Circuit and around the world as history played out in a conclusion nobody could have foreseen.

Max Verstappen returned to the track on which he won his controversial world championship last year by setting the fastest time in practice for Sunday’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

A year on from taking the maiden title, which denied Lewis Hamilton a record eighth crown, the Dutch driver set the pace under the lights of the Yas Marina Circuit.

The Red Bull driver, who has won 14 of the 21 races staged so far on his unstoppable gallop to championship number two, finished ahead of George Russell, with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc third. Hamilton finished fourth.

Seven-time world champion Hamilton was top of the time sheets in the opening running on Friday, but he ended the day six tenths adrift of Verstappen’s Red Bull.

Formula One has announced a female-only racing category will be launched next season.

F1 executives hope the new series – revealed ahead of this weekend’s concluding round in Abu Dhabi – will identify the first female grand prix driver since Italian Lella Lombardi competed in 1976.

The sport’s bosses also insist the category, called the F1 Academy and aimed at young drivers already competing in junior categories, will not replace the W Series.

The single-seater championship launched solely for women in 2019 had to abandon its most recent season amid financial troubles and its future is in major doubt.

Lewis Hamilton and George Russell finished first and second in FP1 this morning but could only manage second and fourth in the afternoon as Max Verstappen stormed back to the top of the leaderboard.

Full results from FP2

1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)

2. George Russell (Mercedes)

3. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)

4. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)

5. Sergio Perez (Red Bull)

6. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)

7. Esteban Ocon (Alpine)

8. Fernando Alonso (Alpine)

9. Daniel Ricciardo (McLaren)

10. Valtteri Bottas (Alfa Romeo)

11. Lando Norris (McLaren)

12. Sebastian Vettel (Aston Martin)

13. Zhou Guanyu (Alfa Romeo)

14. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)

15. Yuki Tsunoda (Alpha Tauri)

16. Alex Albon (Williams)

17. Mick Schumacher (Haas)

18. Kevin Magnussen (Haas)

19. Pierre Gasly (Alpha Tauri)

20. Nicholas Latifi (Williams)

World Champion, Max Verstappen, records the quickest time of FP2 with a 1:25.146 in his Red Bull. Next up is George Russell +0.341secs behind.

Max Verstappen ends the session in first place on the leaderboard. He looked determined to impress before the session even and he lived up to that.

Lewis Hamilton heads into the pits early secure in fourth behind teammate George Russell and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.

Five minutes to go in the session. Max Verstappen still leads the way at the top of the leaderboard with George Russell, Charles Leclerc, Lewis Hamilton and Sergio Perez rounding out the top five.