The Yas Marina Circuit welcomed F1 for the championship-deciding finale with a day that featured nine rookie drivers and contrasting fortunes for the title protagonists. From Lando Norris’s commanding pace to Oscar Piastri’s struggles, day one set the stage for a dramatic weekend showdown. What unfolded during the opening practice sessions? Stay tuned with Supercars.com.GH to find out!
FP1
Lando Norris kicked off the title-deciding weekend by topping FP1 with a 1:24.485, edging championship rival Max Verstappen by just 0.008 seconds as nine rookie drivers joined the action. Charles Leclerc completed an incredibly tight top three, finishing 0.016s behind Norris in a session that featured Mercedes and Kick Sauber as the only teams fielding their regular line-ups.
Oscar Piastri sat out the session as Pato O’Ward took over his McLaren, while Yuki Tsunoda handed his Red Bull to Arvid Lindblad—the F2 racer confirmed to join Racing Bulls in 2026. Isack Hadjar, who will replace Lindblad at Racing Bulls next season after moving up to Red Bull, led the pack out at the start.
Luke Browning made his fourth FP1 appearance for Williams but suffered radio issues that sidelined him for an extended period. His teammate Carlos Sainz initially set the pace before times rapidly tumbled, with the Spaniard eventually finishing ninth after his strong Qatar podium performance.
Ollie Bearman’s session ended prematurely when he reported a power loss due to what Haas later confirmed was a sensor-related issue. The Briton managed to limp back to the pits but was forced to retire for the remainder of FP1, limiting his crucial preparation time.
FP2
Norris maintained his Friday dominance by topping FP2 with a commanding 1:23.083, finishing 0.363s ahead of Verstappen as the sun set over Yas Marina. George Russell completed the top three for Mercedes, while Piastri struggled badly in 11th—a concerning result for the championship challenger.
Early drama unfolded when Verstappen had to hurriedly avoid Norris exiting Turn 1 amid radio confusion with engineer Gianpiero Lambiase. “What’s this guy doing? I almost crashed,” Norris complained, though stewards decided against further action after reviewing the incident.
Piastri’s disappointing session saw him struggle on his qualifying simulation, managing only a low-key lap that left him behind both Mercedes, both Kick Saubers, Ollie Bearman, Isack Hadjar, and Charles Leclerc. The Australian’s difficulties raised concerns about McLaren’s race pace heading into the crucial weekend.
Ollie Bearman impressed by claiming fourth for Haas, enthusiastically commenting over the radio: “Mate, the car is insane! I don’t know how it’s so good.” The British rookie’s pace validated Haas’s strong recent form alongside impressive performances from both Kick Sauber drivers.
Can Norris convert his Friday dominance into championship glory this weekend? Join Supercars.com.GH tomorrow to find out!