McLaren Dominates Abu Dhabi Practice in Title Push

McLaren made a strong start in their quest for their first constructors’ title since 1998 at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, heading Ferrari by 21 points with 44 still available. Friday practice saw a McLaren one-two with Lando Norris leading Oscar Piastri while Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc will face a 10-place grid penalty after exceeding his season’s battery allocation. Norris outpaced Piastri by 0.234 seconds followed by Haas’ Nico Hulkenberg in a surprising third.

Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz was fourth, ahead of Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton, Leclerc and Sauber’s Valtteri Bottas. While McLaren dominated short runs, Mercedes showed strong long-run pace with Hamilton closely matching Piastri’s average stint time. Norris acknowledged McLaren’s pace but noted that rivals might improve: “It looks better than it is. We’ll have a tough fight tomorrow.” McLaren team principal Andrea Stella remained cautious, despite Leclerc’s penalty: “Ferrari and Leclerc are strong; nothing changes in our approach.”

Hamilton, racing his final event with Mercedes before joining Ferrari, reflected on the emotions: “It feels surreal. I’ve been trying to stay present and channel everything into the team. We’re close to McLaren on long runs but there’s work to do on single laps.” Leclerc’s penalty complicated Ferrari’s weekend but he remained optimistic about a recovery. The day was special for Leclerc, who shared the track with his brother Arthur, Ferrari’s development driver.

Leclerc called it a “very special moment” for their family, recalling their father’s sacrifices to support their careers. Elsewhere, Red Bull struggled with Max Verstappen only 17th fastest due to balance issues. Williams faced penalties and technical troubles while Haas and Yuki Tsunoda showed promising speed. Despite setbacks, teams aim to fine-tune for Sunday’s race where the championship battle remains alive.