Norris Outpaces Verstappen in Abu Dhabi FP2, Piastri Struggles
Lando Norris outpaced Max Verstappen in Abu Dhabi FP2, demonstrating superior single-lap and race pace, sending a clear warning to the championship leader. Norris averaged 1:29.354 over nine laps, while Verstappen was three-tenths slower. McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri, however, struggled with consistency and pace, finishing outside the top ten. This strong performance by Norris signals McLaren's potential to challenge the front-runners in the season finale.
Lando Norris not only topped the single-lap times in FP2 at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix but also demonstrated superior race pace, signaling a strong warning to Max Verstappen. While Norris consistently led, his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri faced significant challenges, struggling to find rhythm and pace.
Why it matters:
McLaren's recent resurgence, particularly with Lando Norris, has injected excitement into the latter half of the F1 season. A strong showing against championship leader Max Verstappen in Abu Dhabi could indicate a genuine challenge for future titles and add intrigue to the final race weekend, especially after Norris's consistent improvements.
The Details:
- Norris's Dominance: Lando Norris recorded the quickest single-lap time and also showed formidable race pace during FP2. He averaged 1:29.354 over nine laps on medium tires.
- Verstappen's Challenge: Max Verstappen was second quickest in race pace, averaging 1:29.677 over 15 laps. Although three-tenths slower than Norris on average, both drivers achieved nearly identical lap times after nine laps, with Norris at 1:29.354 and Verstappen at 1:29.363.
- Piastri's Difficulties: Oscar Piastri continued to struggle with race distance, posting the eleventh fastest single-lap time and completing his medium-tire race simulation with an average of 1:29.741 over six laps.
- Midfield Pace: Kimi Antonelli, driving for Mercedes, led the midfield with an average of 1:29.809 over eight laps. Charles Leclerc posted a 1:29.981 over the same number of laps, while George Russell was slightly slower at 1:30.164 over nine laps.
- Hamilton and Tsunoda: Lewis Hamilton averaged 1:30.566 over only four laps, and Yuki Tsunoda maintained a similar pace at 1:30.586 across seven laps.
The Big Picture:
Norris's performance highlights McLaren's significant progress, establishing them as consistent front-runners capable of challenging Red Bull. This development sets the stage for a potentially thrilling end to the season in Abu Dhabi and provides positive momentum heading into the off-season, promising a more competitive grid for 2025.
What's next:
With Norris appearing in sync with his MCL39 on a track that historically suits him, all eyes will be on qualifying to see if he can translate this practice pace into a strong grid position. The performance gap between Norris and Verstappen, along with Piastri's efforts to improve, will be key storylines to watch as the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend unfolds.