Abu Dhabi GP: Lando Norris leads McLaren charge 1-2 in FP2, Max struggles
Norris dominates second practice in Abu Dhabi with teammate Piastri following closely
ABU DHABI -- Lando Norris set the fastest lap, outpacing his teammate Oscar Piastri and a competitive Nico Hulkenberg in the second practice session. McLaren's display of speed suggests they may be the team everyone else is chasing this weekend.
The earlier first practice had seen six new drivers, but the more experienced drivers resumed control for FP2. The setting sun over the Yas Marina Circuit provided the backdrop for the evening's session which is expected to reflect the race conditions they'll face during the 58-lap contest on Sunday.
Championship rivals, the Ferraris, were among the first to hit the tarmac following the announcement that Charles Leclerc will have to navigate a 10-place grid penalty for exceeding his Energy Store component allocation, a significant blow to Ferrari's quest to challenge McLaren's supremacy.
Lando Norris promptly established superiority, timing a 1m 25.020s lap on medium tires through heavy traffic, but not without some stiff competition. The fight between Ferrari and McLaren, a recurring theme this season, intensified as Leclerc, Piastri, Sainz, and Norris alternated in pursuing the quickest lap.
While the spectacle unfolded, freshly-crowned champion Max Verstappen had a rough session, his car bucking aggressively over the kerbs. Meanwhile, Alpine's newcomer Jack Doohan also faced tribulations, wrestling with tire lock-ups during his debut race weekend stint.
As evening temperatures dropped, the drivers shifted to qualifying simulations, where Norris again excelled, registering a blistering 1m 23.517s lap, followed closely by teammates Piastri and the ever-astute Hulkenberg of Haas.
Carlos Sainz trailed Norris by 0.582s and managed to keep ahead of Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes, embarking on his farewell weekend with the team. Behind them, Valtteri Bottas impressed in seventh, ahead of Kevin Magnussen, Alex Albon, and Yuki Tsunoda, who made up the remainder of the top ten.
Liam Lawson was just shy of the leading group in P11, with Pierre Gasly and a surprisingly lower-placed George Russell behind him. Red Bull's drivers, Sergio Perez and Max Verstappen, experienced a less-than-ideal session finishing P14 and P17, respectively, with Verstappen reporting issues on the front axle.
Zhou Guanyu edged into P15, while Fernando Alonso slotted just behind in P16 for Aston Martin. Rounding out the timing sheets were Stroll, Doohan, and Franco Colapinto, with the latter in the Williams team having to forfeit the final minutes of FP2 due to floor damage.
With the critical final practice and qualifying looming, teams are poised for intense analysis and strategy fine-tuning. The third practice session is set to begin at 1430 local time, paving the way for what promises to be a dramatic qualifying round in Abu Dhabi.
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