Max Verstappen clocked the fastest time in the first free practice for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Friday. Two days before the Formula 1 world title battle between Verstappen and his McLaren rivals Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri is finally decided, FP1 is little more than a tepid appetizer due to the large number of substitutes on the track. The fastest time is credited to championship leader Lando Norris.
The first free practice in Abu Dhabi can best be described as the ball of the substitutes. No less than nine of the twenty seats are occupied by rookies and/or one-time pay drivers. Since 2022, each team must fill a FP1 session twice a year with a young driver who has a maximum of two GPs to his name. The timing in Abu Dhabi is unfortunate for championship contender Oscar Piastri. He has to watch idly as Patricio O’Ward takes the wheel of his McLaren. Fortunately for him, the Mexican does not cause any damage.
Along with Piastri, Liam Lawson, Lewis Hamilton, Alexander Albon, Pierre Gasly, Lance Stroll, Fernando Alonso, Esteban Ocon, and Isack Hadjar are also following from the team garage. Noteworthy incidents are absent, apart from a spin by Charles Leclerc in the final phase of FP1.
When it comes to times, Isack Hadjar, who will be Max Verstappen’s teammate at Racing Bull from next year, leads the dance for a long time. He has clocked 1.25,245 with hard tires under his Racing Bulls car. Halfway through the session, he is comfortably overtaken by Max Verstappen on softs (1.24,493). Championship leader Norris is the only one who manages to dip just (by 0.008 seconds) under Verstappen’s time (1.24,485) in the remainder of FP1, for what it’s worth. The third time (1.24,501) is credited to Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc. Incidentally, Verstappen complains over the radio in the final phase about a broken part, but it seems to bother him little.
The second free practice is scheduled for later today and starts at 14:00 Dutch time.
