“Verstappen focused on fine-tuning the car while Norris delivered strong long-run performance.”
Lando Norris showed strong pace in Friday’s practice sessions for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. He narrowly beat Max Verstappen in both runs. In the second session (FP2), Norris set the fastest lap of 1:23.083 on soft tyres, 0.363 seconds quicker than Verstappen. His lap times showed strong single-lap speed and confidence in the car.
In the first session (FP1), Norris was also marginally faster, beating Verstappen by 0.008 seconds. He completed several long runs, showing good race pace, tire management, and consistency. Verstappen focused on fine-tuning his car setup and testing different tire compounds.
There was a minor incident where Verstappen slightly impeded Norris, but the stewards did not investigate. Norris called his double-top performance a confidence boost. He noted the car felt balanced in both short and long runs.
Overall, the sessions highlighted a close battle between McLaren and Red Bull. Both drivers showed competitive lap times, solid race pace, and promising setups. The weekend looks set for a tight qualifying session and an exciting race.