Norris leads as Leclerc faces 10-place grid penalty

McLaren lead Ferrari by 21 points in the constructors' championship

McLaren made a strong start in their quest to secure their first constructors' title since 1998 at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. With 44 points still up for grabs, McLaren lead Ferrari by 21 points and ended Friday practice with a one-two finish, with Lando Norris ahead of teammate Oscar Piastri. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc will start Sunday’s race from no higher than 11th due to a 10-place grid penalty for exceeding his battery allowance.

Norris led Piastri by 0.234 seconds, with Haas’ Nico Hulkenberg in a surprise third place. Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz was fourth, 0.582 seconds behind, followed by Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton, Leclerc, and Sauber’s Valtteri Bottas. Haas’ Kevin Magnussen was eighth, ahead of Williams’ Alex Albon and RB’s Yuki Tsunoda.

Red Bull struggled with one-lap pace, with world champion Max Verstappen finishing 17th, three places behind teammate Sergio Perez. However, race-simulation runs on a full fuel load later in the session revealed Hamilton as the fastest, followed by McLaren, Red Bull, and Ferrari.

Williams had a challenging day, with both cars facing five-place grid penalties for gearbox issues. Albon had an engine problem but managed a fast lap late in the session, while Franco Colapinto damaged his floor after hitting the kerbs at Turn One.

In the first practice session, Charles Leclerc’s brother, Arthur, a Ferrari development driver, drove Carlos Sainz's car. It was an emotional day for the Leclerc family, as their mother, Pascale, was present in the Ferrari pit. Charles reflected on the sacrifices their family made, particularly in helping Arthur restart his career after financial constraints had halted it. "It’s very special for how much my father has given to help our careers," said Charles, "and I will remember this moment forever."