Norris Edges Verstappen in Tight Abu Dhabi GP Opening Practice

Lando Norris kicked off the 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend by topping the first practice session at Yas Marina, signaling his intent to claim the Formula 1 world championship. The McLaren driver set a 1m24.485s lap on soft tires, just 0.008s quicker than championship rival Max Verstappen, with Ferrari's Charles Leclerc a mere 0.016s further back.

Why it matters:

• Norris arrived in Abu Dhabi with a 12-point lead over Verstappen and 16 over McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri, making a podium finish on Sunday sufficient to secure his maiden title regardless of Verstappen's performance.
• This razor-thin margin in FP1 underscores the intense competition expected in the season finale, hinting that the championship battle could go down to the wire.

The details:

• Close Battle at the Top: Norris's fastest lap was a 1m24.485s, with Verstappen clocking a 1m24.493s and Leclerc a 1m24.501s, showcasing the tight margins between the contenders.
• Rookie Participation: Nine rookie drivers participated in FP1, fulfilling regulatory requirements for teams to run young drivers in at least two Friday sessions. This included IndyCar star Pato O'Ward in Piastri's McLaren and Isack Hadjar, recently announced as Verstappen's Red Bull teammate for 2026.
• Track Evolution & Tire Strategy: The session began with mixed tire strategies and significant track evolution, leading to an varied early leaderboard before most drivers switched to softs.
• Antonelli's Strong Showing: Mercedes junior Andrea Kimi Antonelli continued to impress, finishing fourth, highlighting his promising late-season form.
• Leclerc's Struggles: Despite placing third, Leclerc expressed frustration over team radio about a lack of grip and feeling "so slow," suggesting underlying issues for Ferrari even with a strong lap time.
• Sauber's Performance: Gabriel Bortoleto in the Sauber (soon to be Audi) finished seventh, an encouraging start for the team in its final race under the Sauber name.

What's next:

• The narrow margins in FP1 suggest that qualifying and the race itself will be fiercely contested, with every thousandth of a second potentially crucial for the championship.
• With the championship on the line, both Norris and Verstappen will be pushing to maximize their performance in Saturday's qualifying and Sunday's race, setting the stage for a thrilling conclusion to the season. If FP1 is any indication, the title fight could extend to the very final laps of the race.