Lewis Hamilton laid down a marker for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix by producing the fastest lap in the Friday practice.
The McLaren driver, who has a slim chance of winning the title in the Sunday's season-ending race, went round in one minute, 40.888 seconds at Yas Marina.
Sebastian Vettel of Red Bull, third in the standings, was second quickest with a 1:41.145 while Ferrari's championship leader Fernando Alonso was third.
Vettel's team-mate Mark Webber was 0.427 seconds off the pace in the fourth.
With teams not obliged to reveal the exact fuel loads their cars are carrying during practice, it is difficult to read too much into the results.
But it does appear that McLaren may have the pace to match Red Bull and Ferrari come race day and that is essential if Hamilton is to have any hope of lifting his second Formula 1 crown.
The Englishman sits fourth in the drivers' championship, 24 points adrift of Alonso with 25 awarded for a win.
So he must triumph on Sunday and pray that Alonso finishes out of the scoring, or his dreams are over for another year.
For Alonso, who has won three of the last five races, the situation is far more desirable. Finish first or second and the title is his. He is bidding for a third drivers' championship and his first for Ferrari.
If, however, Alonso finishes third or worse, victory for Webber would see the 34-year-old Australian clinch his maiden title. Webber is currently second in the standings, eight points behind Alonso.
Vettel won in Brazil last time out to keep himself in with a shout but, in trailing Alonso by 15 points, he needs to win and hope the Spaniard finishes fifth or worse.
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