Lando Norris led a one-two from team-mate Oscar Piastri in second apply on the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix as McLaren made an encouraging begin to their try to seal the Constructors’ Championship.
McLaren had already been handed a significant increase earlier on Friday when Ferrari, who’re attempting to overturn a 21-point deficit going into Sunday’s season finale, suffered an enormous blow as Charles Leclerc incurred a 10-place grid penalty for taking a brand new battery.
Their prospects of profitable the constructors’ title for the primary time since 1998 have been boosted additional in Friday night’s essential session, through which circumstances are most much like these for qualifying and the race, when Norris and Piastri impressed.
Norris set a time of 1:23.517s to complete greater than two tenths of a second away from Piastri, whereas the pair additionally exhibited robust tempo on their longer race simulation runs.
Nico Hulkenberg was an additional couple of tenths again in a stunning third for Haas forward of Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz, whereas Leclerc may solely handle sixth.
Lewis Hamilton, who’s driving for Mercedes for the ultimate time earlier than ending a 12-season run with the staff to hitch Ferrari subsequent yr, was fifth.
George Russell and Max Verstappen – the 2 drivers who’ve been the centre of consideration in Abu Dhabi resulting from their extraordinary feud – each struggled.
Mercedes’ Russell may solely handle thirteenth after making an error on his soft-tyre run, whereas world champion Verstappen was sad with the dealing with of his Crimson Bull as he may solely handle seventeenth.
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Craig Slater took a better have a look at how the Qatar penalty fallout escalated between George Russell and Max Verstappen after George labelled the Crimson Bull driver as a ‘bully’.
Verstappen, Sainz and Piastri have been three of six drivers who sat out first apply to permit their groups to finish their obligated quota of younger driver periods for the season.
Extra to comply with…
Sky Sports activities F1’s dwell Abu Dhabi GP schedule
Saturday December 7
8.10am: F1 Academy Race One
10.15am: Abu Dhabi GP Follow Three (session begins at 10.30am)
12.10pm: F2 Dash Race
1.15pm: Abu Dhabi GP Qualifying build-up
2pm: ABU DHABI GP QUALIFYING*
4pm: F1 Academy: Race Two
5pm: Ted’s Qualifying Pocket book
Sunday December 8
7.10am: F1 Academy Race Three
9.20am: F2 Function Race
11.30am: Grand Prix Sunday: Abu Dhabi GP build-up
1pm: The ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX
3pm: Chequered Flag: Abu Dhabi GP response
4pm: Ted’s Pocket book
*additionally dwell on Sky Sports activities Important Occasion
Watch the ultimate race of the 2024 Components 1 season – the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – dwell on Sky Sports activities F1, with Sunday’s race at 1pm. Get Sky Sports activities F1 or stream with NOW
