Abu Dhabi GP: Norris draws first blood ahead of Verstappen in FP1 in three-way title fight

It may only be practice, but Lando Norris seized the early advantage in Abu Dhabi as he beat Max Verstappen in a session in which Oscar Piastri was missing due to young driver commitments.

Norris and Verstappen, who will have had 60 minutes more track time than Piastri in the title decider, were first and second, separated by 0.008s with Charles Leclerc a further 0.008s down.

Lando Norris secures P1 to start the season finale

FP1 got underway with no fewer than eight driver changes, but the big one being Oscar Piastri, who had to give up a session to Pato O’Ward, and on a weekend when track time is crucial given Piastri is in a three-way fight for the World title.

The upside for the Australian, FP1 started a good six degrees hotter than the expected temperature in FP2. It is one of those that is considered by the drivers to be the least valuable of the season.

Nonetheless, Piastri was staring hard at the screens on the McLaren pit wall as the IndyCar star left the pits in his car.

Max Verstappen set the early pace with a 1:27.130, Luke Browning complained to Williams about his radio breaking up, and Isack Hadjar got caught in the traffic of that.

Carlos Sainz was having a brake issue and told Williams, “You know why.” He promptly went fastest of all with a 1:25.712.

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The hard Pirellis were showing pace in the early running with Verstappen jumping ahead of Kimi Antonelli, Sainz, George Russell, and Isack Hadjar. And then came Lando Norris on the mediums, P1 with a 1:25.454.

Oliver Bearman, sitting in 12th place, appeared to have a hydraulic issue as he limped around the track. But changing gears, that clearly was not the issue. He pulled into the pits at pace, Haas’ front jack mechanic jumping out of the way just in case the car wasn’t okay.

“Iwasa” or “O’Ward”, Russell corrected his race engineer’s mistake.

Back at the front, new Red Bull F1 2026 Isack Hadjar went quickest of all with a 1:25.245 as one by rival his rivals headed into the pits ahead of a final hurrah.

Heading out on the soft tyres, Verstappen went purple, purple and purple to go seven-tenths up. Russell and Antonelli slotted in behind the Red Bull driver.

A moment of snap at Turn 2, had Norris backing off on his first flying lap on the soft tyres. In his second flying lap he was down and slightly overdrove through Turns 11/12. He still went P2, and only 0.026s down on Verstappen’s best.

On only the second day ever that two Leclercs lapped a grand prix track on an F1 weekend, Verstappen had a chuckle when he was told of “Leclerc junior” positions to him.

Norris posted a 1:24.485 to sit 0.008s ahead of Verstappen in the final 20 minutes of the session. Charles Leclerc was third.

Bearman’s session ended early with him up to P7 at the time, 0.3s down on Norris’ P1 time.

“I think there might be something broken on the car,” Verstappen reported, adding that the issues are everywhere.

Norris finished quickest of all, 0.008s ahead of Verstappen with Leclerc a further 0.008s back. “We are so slow,” was Leclerc’s complaint.

As for the junior drivers, Ryo Hirakawa ahead of Paul Aron and Ayumu Iwasa.

Abu Dhabi Grand Prix FP1 times

1 Lando Norris McLaren 1:24.485
2 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing +0.008
3 Charles Leclerc Ferrari +0.016
4 Kimi Antonelli Mercedes +0.123
5 Nico Hulkenberg Kick Sauber +0.144
6 George Russell Mercedes +0.248
7 Gabriel Bortoleto Kick Sauber +0.257
8 Oliver Bearman Haas F1 Team +0.274
9 Carlos Sainz Williams +0.286
10 Franco Colapinto Alpine +0.370
11 Ryo Hirakawa Haas F1 Team +0.449
12 Isack Hadjar Racing Bulls +0.492
13 Paul Aron Alpine +0.719
14 Patricio O’Ward McLaren +0.761
15 Arvid Lindblad Red Bull Racing +0.771
16 Arthur Leclerc Ferrari +0.875
17 Ayumu Iwasa Racing Bulls +0.990
18 Luke Browning Williams +1.005
19 Jak Crawford Aston Martin +1.404
20 Cian Shields Aston Martin +1.947

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