McLaren made a perfect start in their bid to secure their first constructors’ title since 1998 at the season-closing Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
McLaren head Ferrari by 21 points with 44 remaining and ended Friday practice with a one-two, Lando Norris ahead of Oscar Piastri. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc will start Sunday’s race no better than 11th because of a penalty.
Leclerc was given a 10-place grid drop because Ferrari needed to fit a new battery to his car, and that exceeded his allowance of two for the season.
Norris headed Piastri by 0.234 seconds ahead of the Haas of Nico Hulkenberg, a surprise in third place.
Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz was fourth fastest, 0.582secs off the pace, ahead of Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton, Leclerc and the Sauber of Valtteri Bottas.
The race-simulation runs on a full fuel load later in the session told a different story. On those, Hamilton was more of a match for the McLarens.
Norris said: “It was a good day. Car’s been feeling good the whole day. Continued our pace out of Qatar. Feels strong.
“We have some things to improve on in both low and high fuel. It looks better than it is. I don’t think the others have turned up their engines yet. We’ll still have a tough fight tomorrow.”
McLaren team principal Andrea Stella said he was taking no reassurance from Leclerc’s penalty.
“We talk about Charles Leclerc. We talk about Ferrari. It’s a very strong combination,” Stella said. “Even with the penalty, I wouldn’t be surprised if we can see them very rapidly fighting for the front, for the top positions. So nothing changes. We keep remaining calm, focused and full of energy.”
Hamilton is having his final race with Mercedes after 12 years with the team before his move to Ferrari for next season.
He said: “Very surreal. And I’ve just tried to be as present as I can be so I can enjoy every moment.
“I’ve really enjoyed the day. Really enjoyed driving the car. We have some work to do. The McLaren is so fast, as is Ferrari. We are in the mix, kind of, but got to find some time.
“I am trying to keep my emotions under control as much as I can. I am really trying to channel it into the car, the team.
“I have so much love for the team. I have been wanting to do well for them for ages. One last go at it and I hope we won’t change too much in the car tonight and tomorrow we will be there or thereabouts hopefully.
“Our long run didn’t look too bad. I was a lot closer to the McLarens, on a single lap we have some work to do.”
The second Haas of Kevin Magnussen was eighth, ahead of Williams’ Alex Albon and RB’s Yuki Tsunoda.
Red Bull were struggling for one-lap pace and world champion Max Verstappen, who was complaining of a lack of front grip, ended the session 17th fastest, three places behind team-mate Sergio Perez.
Verstappen said: “Just not a very good balance. No connected balance from entry to mid-corner and that makes it difficult to push and it’s something we have to work on overnight.
“I am sure we can do better. I am not saying we will be at McLaren level, because they seem very quick so far this weekend. If we can fight in the top six that will be a good recovery because so far this weekend has been very difficult.”
Williams had a difficult day. Both cars have five-place grid penalties for exceeding their allowance of gearboxes. Albon suffered an engine problem, but did get out for his fast lap at the end of the session, while Franco Colapinto damaged his floor with a trip over the kerbs at Turn One early in the session.
‘Very, very special’ day for Leclercs
Earlier, in the first practice session, Leclerc’s brother Arthur, a Ferrari development driver, drove Carlos Sainz’s car.
It was an emotional day for the entire Leclerc family. Their mother Pascale was in the Ferrari pit, and on Thursday Charles Leclerc spoke about what it meant to the family, who lost father Herve to cancer in 2017.
“It is definitely a very, very special moment for not only me, not only for Arthur, but I think for the whole family,” Charles said, “because I can only see how much sacrifices my parents have done when I was younger for us to continue.
“They had to stop Arthur’s career at one point because they could not afford to pay for both of us. It is special for how much my father has given to help our careers. It is a dream, for both of us.
“I know how much it meant for my father to be able to restart Arthur’s career. When he did that, he was so happy. It’s very special also for that, for how much my father has given to us in order to pursue our dream. So it will be a moment I will forever remember for sure.”
