A thrilling duel developed between Erik Stark and Shaun Torrente in the later stages of an uninterrupted free practice session with both Team Abu Dhabi drivers teetering on the edge of disaster on a windy straight in front of the main grandstand to set the fastest times.

Stark twice looked as though he has overcooked it, but the Swede topped the times with a run of 43.94sec and that was enough to beat his championship rival by 0.17 seconds.

Marti Stromoy was never going to make it easy for the host team and the Norwegian impressed with the third fastest time of 44.58sec.

Peter Morin of the CTIC F1 Shenzhen China Team was fourth and Victory Team’s Ahmed Al-Hameli were fourth and fifth.

Thani Al-Qemzi topped the times early in the session in the third Team Abu Dhabi boat and finished the session in eighth behind Sami Selio and Alex Carella.

GRAND PRIX OF ABU DHABI 2018 – FIRST FREE PRACTICE

35 Erik Stark 30 0:43.94 + 0.00 163.86
6 Shaun Torrente 36 0:44.11 + 0.17 163.23
50 Marit Stromoy 26 0:44.58 + 0.64 161.51
8 Peter Morin 28 0:44.71 + 0.77 161.04
3 Ahmed Al Hameli 27 0:44.93 + 0.99 160.25
11 Sami Selio 21 0:45.15 + 1.21 159.47
1 Alex Carella 31 0:45.24 + 1.30 159.15
5 Thani Al Qemzi 9 0:45.25 + 1.31 159.12
14 Jonas Andersson 21 0:45.39 + 1.45 158.63
15 Erik Edin 11 0:46.46 + 2.52 154.97