Charles Leclerc led the way in FP1 of F1 Abu Dhabi GP, with Lando Norris slotting in second and Lewis Hamilton third to round the Top 3.
It was more or less smooth in FP1 of F1 Abu Dhabi GP at Yas Marina Circuit to start the weekend, as seven rookie drivers took the track where Alpine’s Jack Doohan was to complete the whole weekend in place of Esteban Ocon, who gave up his seat to test for Haas.
Despite the delay in taking the track due to a potential battery issue, Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc (1m24.321s) set the pace in FP1 of F1 Abu Dhabi GP from McLaren’s Lando Norris and Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton, who had his teammate George Russell in fourth.
Alpine’s Pierre Gasly continued his fine run in fifth. He was noted for speeding under the yellow flag, but was cleared by the stewards during the session. Haas’ Nico Hulkenberg was sixth from Williams’ Franco Colapinto, as the other Haas of Kevin Magnussen slotted in eighth.
The first of the FP1 runner was Felipe Drugovich in ninth in Lance Stroll’s Aston Martin, ahead of Red Bull’s Sergio Perez in the Top 10. The other Aston Martin of Fernando Alonso was 11th, as he lamented the ‘worst car’ on radio after not getting to prepare well for a practice start at the end.
Visa Cash App RB’s Liam Lawson was 12th from Kick Sauber’s Valtteri Bottas, as McLaren’s Ryo Hirakawa was 14th in Oscar Piastri’s car. The Japanese driver will be driving for Haas in the post-season test on Tuesday. He led Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar in Max Verstappen’s car.
The Frenchman had a spin early on as he struggled with wheel clearance and had multiple held-up by Williams. Kick Sauber’s Zhou Guanyu was 16th from Visa Cash App RB’s Ayumu Iwasa in Yuki Tsunoda’s car, as Ferrari’s Arthur Leclerc was 18th to create history of driving alongside his brother.
Alpine’s Doohan was 19th, with Williams’ Luke Browning 20th in Alexander Albon’s car. He was shown a black and white flag for reasons not aired on world feed. Just as the session ended, the FIA noted a grid penalty incoming for Leclerc for taking a third Energy Store, while both Albon and Colapinto are bracing a penalty for new gearbox.
In other news, F1 announced an extension of its deal with the promoters of Chinese GP to keep the grand prix on the calendar until the 2030 season. It is a new contract of five years, as China made a return to the calendar in 2024 after an absence of five seasons due to COVID-19 restrictions.
“Our return to China this season for the first time since 2019 was a fantastic moment for the sport, and it is incredible to see the levels of support that we enjoy in the country continuing to grow year-on-year,” said Stefano Domenicali.
“Shanghai is an incredible city, and the racetrack is a wonderful test for our drivers, so I am delighted that Formula 1 will continue its successful partnership with the Chinese Grand Prix for a further five years. I want to thank our promoter for their continued commitment and passion, and I look forward to returning to Shanghai in the new year.”
At the same time, Guo Jianfei added: “For many years, Jiushi Group and our subsidiary, Juss Sports, have always adhered to our original intention to strive for the excellence in event organization, and this renewal is a testament to that. It is excellent news for fans in China and is a perfect platform to showcase Shanghai to the world as millions tune in on TV globally.
“Looking ahead, we will continue to work closely with all partners, further strengthen our engagement with international audiences through the event platform, consistently improve the event quality, and better present the city charm of Shanghai.
“We fully understand that a successful Grand Prix is not only an exciting race event, but also a driving force for the whole society to develop in a more positive direction. In the future, we will continue to optimize the event experience through innovation and achieve a sustainable contribution to the society.”
Here’s link to a F1 Discord channel, join in to interact
