Tempo-setter Norris positive McLaren’s rivals are an actual menace after one other sturdy begin · RaceFans

There was no method that the constructors’ championship might be selected the opening day of apply for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. No factors on provide, no aggressive session that will straight have an effect on something for Sunday’s grand prix.

However on the finish of the twenty fourth Friday of the 2024 season, it was onerous to not really feel as if Ferrari’s tough prospects of someway overcoming a 21 level deficit within the constructors’ championship had been now trying even slimmer.

On the finish of the second hour of apply of the day, McLaren backed up their benefit within the standings with an obvious benefit on the monitor. Lando Norris set the very best time of the day with a time solely group mate Oscar Piastri may get near, whereas Ferrari had been greater than half a second slower with each Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz Jnr.

And whereas Leclerc was battling meals poisoning he additionally needed to abdomen one thing a lot worse – a ten-place grid penalty for Sunday’s grand prix after Ferrari confirmed that he must take his third power retailer of the season to make it by way of the ultimate weekend of the yr. Having gone 23 rounds with out exceeding his energy unit allowance, now he can be hit by a penalty on the worst potential time.

Leclerc due to this fact faces an exceptionally robust process to succeed in the sorts of excessive points-scoring positions the group wants from him to beat McLaren for his or her first constructors’ championship since 2008. To not point out overhauling the 2 MCL38s.

“The McLarens appear to be faster, sadly,” Leclerc admitted on the finish of he day. “So for now, they’ve received the higher hand.

“We all know that it could possibly swing someway in a short time and we’ve received to remain on high of all the pieces. It received’t be completed till the very finish. As we’ve seen, sadly, right now on our aspect, we’ve had an issue. I’m not wishing an issue to anyone else, we’ll simply concentrate on ourselves and attempt to do an incredible restoration on Sunday.”

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On McLaren’s aspect, it was onerous to see how Friday may have gone any higher. Not solely did they study their nearest rivals can be combating with one hand tied behind their again, each of their drivers had been quickest in the one true consultant session of the day. However in typical Norris vogue, the quickest driver of the day was fast to be cautious about McLaren’s prospects for the remainder of the weekend.

“The automotive’s been feeling good the entire day,” Norris stated. “Continued our tempo out of Qatar and really feel sturdy.

“I believe we’ve got just a few issues to enhance on, in each high and low gas – in all probability extra so on excessive gas. It in all probability seems higher than it’s. I don’t assume the others turned up their engines it. So it’d look wonderful for now, however I believe we’re nonetheless going to have a troublesome struggle tomorrow.”

With every of the highest 4 groups utilizing the medium compound tyres for his or her lengthy runs in the identical sundown circumstances that Sunday’s race will happen in, the lap occasions from the tip of the second session present helpful snapshots of every group’s efficiency at this stage of the weekend.

Of the eight drivers from the 4 high groups, Piastri and Norris had the quickest common lap occasions throughout their high-fuel stints, each within the 1’29.6s. Leclerc was, on common, three tenths per lap slower than the McLarens, with group mate Sainz an additional two tenths again.

The Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton and George Russell lapped at an identical tempo to Leclerc, with Max Verstappen nearer to Sainz than he was to the McLarens. However Sergio Perez was the closest driver within the lengthy runs to Piastri and Norris, suggesting that Crimson Bull have considerably extra tempo than Verstappen demonstrated in his sole apply session of the day.

“I’m positive that we will do higher,” was Verstappen’s abstract after one more Friday the place he was sad with the stability of his Crimson Bull. “I’m not saying that we are going to at McLaren’s degree, as a result of they appear very fast up to now this weekend, however no less than if we will struggle in that high six that can be a superb restoration. As a result of, up to now, it’s been fairly tough.”

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Heading into the ultimate qualifying Saturday of the season, Russell is seeking to take a hat trick of pole positions on this closing double header. However though the Mercedes has regarded stronger on the finish of the season than most occasions by way of the yr, Russell doesn’t count on anybody to beat the McLarens, it doesn’t matter what they might have been holding again on Friday.

“I believe nonetheless as a group, we’re a good distance off McLaren and Ferrari,” Russell stated. “McLaren particularly appear to be in a league of their very own in the intervening time.

“Lewis did an awesome job, however we’re nonetheless 4 tenths behind the McLaren, in order that’s greater than we normally count on. So I count on Ferrari to in all probability get again within the combine, Max in all probability to get again within the combine, however I hope we will make some enhancements for tomorrow.”

However with McLaren with the higher hand within the championship, over the quick runs and seemingly in high-fuel too, it’s little surprise Piastri was feeling fairly optimistic about his group’s probabilities heading into the remainder of the weekend.

“I believe the tempo right now has been very sturdy, so that may solely provide you with confidence, I might say,” Piastri stated. “Tomorrow is clearly a really totally different day and I’m positive the others will discover their toes a bit extra. However I believe contemplating I did one session, I’m pleased with the day’s work. So hopefully we will proceed that.”

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Mixed apply occasions

P.
#
Driver
Workforce
FP1 time
FP2 time
Hole
Laps

1
4
Lando Norris
McLaren-Mercedes
1’24.542
1’23.517

25

2
81
Oscar Piastri
McLaren-Mercedes

1’23.751
0.234
28

3
27
Nico Hulkenberg
Haas-Ferrari
1’25.373
1’23.979
0.462
28

4
55
Carlos Sainz Jnr
Ferrari

1’24.099
0.582
28

5
44
Lewis Hamilton
Mercedes
1’24.806
1’24.119
0.602
28

6
16
Charles Leclerc
Ferrari
1’24.321
1’24.201
0.684
28

7
77
Valtteri Bottas
Sauber-Ferrari
1’25.611
1’24.230
0.713
24

8
20
Kevin Magnussen
Haas-Ferrari
1’25.444
1’24.235
0.718
25

9
23
Alexander Albon
Williams-Mercedes

1’24.269
0.752
22

10
22
Yuki Tsunoda
RB-Honda RBPT

1’24.497
0.980
28

11
30
Liam Lawson
RB-Honda RBPT
1’25.563
1’24.503
0.986
25

12
10
Pierre Gasly
Alpine-Renault
1’25.333
1’24.517
1.000
27

13
63
George Russell
Mercedes
1’25.165
1’24.534
1.017
24

14
11
Sergio Perez
Crimson Bull-Honda RBPT
1’25.483
1’24.555
1.038
27

15
24
Zhou Guanyu
Sauber-Ferrari
1’25.921
1’24.557
1.040
23

16
14
Fernando Alonso
Aston Martin-Mercedes
1’25.504
1’24.574
1.057
25

17
1
Max Verstappen
Crimson Bull-Honda RBPT

1’24.598
1.081
26

18
18
Lance Stroll
Aston Martin-Mercedes

1’24.686
1.169
29

19
61
Jack Doohan
Alpine-Renault
1’26.304
1’24.961
1.444
27

20
43
Franco Colapinto
Williams-Mercedes
1’25.382
1’25.265
1.748
10

21
34
Felipe Drugovich
Aston Martin-Mercedes
1’25.471

1.954
0

22
37
Isack Hadjar
Crimson Bull-Honda RBPT
1’25.877

2.360
0

23
40
Ayumu Iwasa
RB-Honda RBPT
1’26.121

2.604
0

24
39
Arthur Leclerc
Ferrari
1’26.179

2.662
0

25
46
Luke Browning
Williams-Mercedes
1’26.519

3.002
0

26
28
Ryo Hirakawa
McLaren-Mercedes
1’27.354

3.837
0

Groups’ progress vs 2023

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