Today's Edition
BATOOL GHAITH (ABU DHABI)
Max Verstappen’s title defence began on uneasy footing in Abu Dhabi as the Red Bull driver admitted his car was “not quick enough” heading into the final weekend of the Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2025 at Yas Marina Circuit.
Despite finishing just 0.008 seconds behind McLaren’s Lando Norris in Free Practice 1, Verstappen said he wasn’t satisfied with the pace or balance, stating that both qualifying and race performance still need work before Sunday’s decider.
“I am fairly happy with the car, but it’s not quick enough,” Verstappen said. “We need to find more performance if we want to fight properly, the others are very close, and small margins could make the difference.”
Meanwhile, Norris, the championship leader, continued his strong form at the top of the timesheets, leading both practice sessions on Friday with a best lap of 1:24.485.
However, the McLaren driver, who leads the championship by just 12 points, was wary of celebrating early.
“There is nothing to smile about just yet,” Norris said. “The car feels good, but we still have a lot to understand. I am not completely confident.”
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc trailed in third in FP1, a tenth behind Verstappen, sharing the track with his brother, Arthur Leclerc, who took over Lewis Hamilton’s spot to fulfil Ferrari’s mandated rookie session under F1 regulations, which require each team to give track time to young drivers with fewer than two Grand Prix starts.
Nine rookie drivers joined FP1 on Friday, including Pato O’Ward with McLaren, Arvid Lindblad, representing Red Bull, and Ryo Hirakawa, behind the wheel for Haas.
In Free Practice 2, again, Norris topped the timesheets, showing consistency from the morning to evening session.
Verstappen and Mercedes’ George Russell followed, signalling Red Bull remaining as a threat as the weekend unfolds.
Heading into Saturday, the championship standings are tighter than ever, Norris leads with 408 points, followed by Verstappen on 396 (-12), and McLaren’s Oscar Piastri sitting at 392 (-16).
Despite the pressure and missing FP1, Piastri remains calm and optimistic, saying he is “finding his feet” in Abu Dhabi and that he believes there is a good chance he could fight for pole this weekend.
