Rival's fierce title strike marks a significant victory for Piastri's McLaren as the clash between F1 titans intensifies

British racer Lando Norris outperformed Australian teammate Oscar Piastri in the second practice session as McLaren ramped up their efforts in pursuit of the constructors’ championship at the concluding Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Catch every qualifying session and race of the 2024 FIA Formula One World Championship™ LIVE in 4K. New to Kayo? Grab your […]

British racer Lando Norris outperformed Australian teammate Oscar Piastri in the second practice session as McLaren ramped up their efforts in pursuit of the constructors’ championship at the concluding Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

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Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc initially led the opening practice session at the Yas Marina Circuit ahead of Norris and Lewis Hamilton, but the Monegasque driver received a penalty for installing a new battery pack on his vehicle.

Leclerc’s ten-place grid penalty for the race on Monday morning (AEDT) hampers the Italian squad’s aspirations of claiming their first constructors’ title since 2008.

“We need to achieve something extraordinary and perform beyond expectations,” remarked Leclerc, acknowledging McLaren’s impressive speed.

Ferrari must close a 21-point gap to leaders McLaren, who last claimed the constructors’ championship in 1998, this weekend.

Norris clocked a time of one minute and 23.517 seconds, besting Piastri by two-tenths of a second, with Haas’ Nico Hulkenberg in third place.

“We still face a tough challenge tomorrow. It may appear better for us than it actually is,” Norris stated.

“We’ve maintained the solid pace we had from Qatar, and it feels robust, but the other teams have yet to unleash their full power.”

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Norris continued: “We’re still searching for the right balance. It’s nothing major, just a few adjustments needed to optimize the balance between speed and tire conservation, particularly during long runs.”

Carlos Sainz ranked fourth in the second Ferrari, followed by seven-time champion Hamilton, who is participating in his final weekend with Mercedes.

Leclerc ended the session in sixth place in the second Ferrari, ahead of Valtteri Bottas from Sauber, Kevin Magnussen in the second Haas, Williams’ Alex Albon, and Yuki Tsunoda from RB.

Leclerc, who was joined by his brother Arthur, a rookie in F1, during the opening practice, was required to utilize a new battery pack, marking his third of the season despite only having two units allocated per regulations.

The Williams drivers Albon and Franco Colapinto are facing five-place penalties for exceeding gearbox component usage.

The competitive duo, George Russell of Mercedes and newly-crowned four-time world champion Max Verstappen from Red Bull, struggled to find their rhythm, finishing in 13th and 17th places, respectively, during a largely uneventful twilight practice session.

“Not ideal,” expressed Verstappen, who had previously shared the news of expecting his first child with his partner Kelly Piquet, daughter of Brazil’s three-time world champion Nelson Piquet.

“The balance is not right, and there’s a lack of connection mid-corner, making it hard to push; we have to work on it overnight,” the Dutch driver added.

“I’m confident we can improve, but perhaps not to the level of McLaren. If we can break into the top six, that would be a significant comeback.”

His teammate Sergio Perez, under pressure to retain his seat, concurred. “It’s challenging,” he remarked. “Especially for a single lap. We need to improve our long-run performance. It isn’t all coming together.”

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The second practice session commenced under cooler conditions following a warm day as the sun dipped below the horizon in Abu Dhabi, with RB’s Liam Lawson setting the early benchmark at 1:25.537, before Leclerc and then Norris took the lead.

Hamilton positioned himself in second, replicating the top three from the initial practice. Verstappen, expressing dissatisfaction with his front axle’s performance, had missed the earlier session, coinciding with the announcement of his baby news made via social media.

“The understeer is extreme,” Verstappen reported on team radio, while Russell, who has had a tumultuous relationship with Verstappen, commented that his “cockpit is still reasonably warm,” in reference to the temperature of 27 degrees Celsius (80.6 Fahrenheit).

During the break between sessions, Red Bull’s team principal Christian Horner defended himself against Mercedes chief Toto Wolff’s comments calling him a “yapping little terrier” for his involvement in the Verstappen-Russell situation by labeling the Mercedes driver as “hysterical.”

“I have a fondness for terriers,” Horner remarked.

“They are wonderful dogs. I’ve owned four. I prefer being a terrier over a wolf.”

Complete FP2 standings

1. Lando Norris McLaren 1:23.517

2. Oscar Piastri McLaren +0.234

3. Nico Hulkenberg Haas F1 Team +0.462

4. Carlos Sainz Ferrari +0.582

5. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +0.602

6. Charles Leclerc Ferrari +0.684

7. Valtteri Bottas Kick Sauber +0.713

8. Kevin Magnussen Haas F1 Team +0.718

9. Alexander Albon Williams +0.752