McLaren leads FP2 with a 1-2 in Abu Dhabi
McLaren led the second free practice session of the weekend. Lando Norris was the fastest with a lap time of 1m23.517s, followed closely by his teammate Oscar Piastri.
Lando Norris
Photo: Motorsport Images
As the sun started to set at Yas Marina, six drivers - Max Verstappen, Carlos Sainz, Oscar Piastri, Lance Stroll, Yuki Tsunoda, and Alex Albon - completed their first laps on the track, as they handed over their cars to rookies and reserve drivers during FP1.
McLaren finished the day on top, showing they have what it takes to end the season on a high note: winning the World Constructors’ Championship.
It was a solid session for Haas, with Nico Hulkenberg taking an impressive 3rd place, while Kevin Magnussen also finished in the top 10, in 8th place.
Charles Leclerc
Photo: Motorsport Images
Ferrari drivers Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc, both battling McLaren for the title, finished the session in 4th and 6th, respectively. As if Leclerc's grid penalty wasn't enough, things seem to have gotten even worse for Ferrari: Jean Alesi reported that the Monegasque is suffering from a gastrointestinal issue due to food poisoning.
In between them was Ferrari’s future driver, Lewis Hamilton. The other Mercedes driver, George Russell, was in 13th place.
The newly crowned four-time world champion, who announced this morning that he’s expecting a child with his girlfriend Kelly Piquet, ended up only 17th, once again complaining about the difficult handling of his RB20. Sergio Perez, who is likely to leave the team after this final round, finished 14th.
A notable mention goes to Valtteri Bottas, who finished 7th in his Sauber, which he will have to say goodbye to.
Free Practice 2 results
1) Lando Norris - 1:23.517
2) Oscar Piastri +0.234
3) Nico Hulkenberg +0.462
4) Carlos Sainz +0.582
5) Lewis Hamilton +0.602
6) Charles Leclerc +0.684
7) Valtteri Bottas +0.713
8) Kevin Magnussen +0.718
9) Alexander Albon +0.752
10) Yuki Tsunoda +0.980
11) Liam Lawson +0.986
12) Pierre Gasly +1.000
13) George Russell +1.017
14) Sergio Perez +1.038
15) Zhou Guanyu +1.040
16) Fernando Alonso +1.057
17) Max Vertsappen +1.081
18) Lance Stroll +1.169
19) Jack Doohan +1.444
20) Franco Colapinto +1.748
