Norris Tops Verstappen and Leclerc in Abu Dhabi First Practice
abu Dhabi, UAE – Lando Norris set the pace during the first practice session for the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, finishing ahead of reigning World Champion Max Verstappen and FerrariS Charles Leclerc. The McLaren driver clocked a fastest lap of 1m 24.485s, a mere 0.008s quicker than Verstappen.
The session saw varied activity across the field, with several drivers experiencing issues. Norris briefly faced a snap through Turn 2 on his first flying lap on soft tyres but still secured the top spot. Aston Martin’s rookie drivers, Jak Crawford and Cian Shields, had a close call during a hot lap, while haas’s Bearman initially returned to the track after an earlier problem, only to report the issue worsening and ultimately retire the car due to a sensor-related problem.
As the final 15 minutes approached,Leclerc slotted into third position,while his brother Arthur was 18th. Verstappen later reported a potential mechanical issue with his RB21, stating it felt “everywhere” on the car, tho he continued running. Leclerc himself spun at Turn 5, prompting a lighthearted joke from his brother about “doing some burnouts.”
The final order saw Norris maintaining P1, with Verstappen and Leclerc completing the podium. Antonelli and russell were fourth and sixth respectively, separated by Kick Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg in fifth. Gabriel Bortoleto (P7), Bearman, Sainz, and Franco Colapinto rounded out the top ten.
The session concluded with Ryo Hirakawa (P11), Hadjar, Paul Aron, O’Ward, Lindblad, Arthur Leclerc, Ayumu Iwasa, Browning, Crawford, and Shields filling the remaining positions.
Teams will now analyze data collected during the hour-long session before Friday’s second practice, scheduled to begin at 1700 local time, which is expected to be more representative of qualifying and race conditions.
