Abu Dhabi Grand Prix: Lando Norris tops practice ‘but there’s nothing to smile about yet’

Abu Dhabi: Championship leader Lando Norris topped both practice sessions at the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Friday, yet the McLaren driver admitted he still doesn’t feel fully settled in the car.

“It’s not been a bad day, for sure. It’s been positive, but we know things always get much tighter in qualifying, so there’s nothing to smile about yet,” said Norris after a strong opening day at Yas Marina.

The 26-year-old Briton finished three-tenths clear of Red Bull title rival Max Verstappen in the twilight FP2 session. Norris heads into the three-way title showdown 12 points ahead of Verstappen and 16 ahead of McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri — meaning a podium finish would secure him the championship.

Qualifying could prove decisive at a circuit where overtaking has become easier since recent layout changes. Norris can also take confidence from winning last year’s race from pole. Still, he knows unpredictability is always a factor, as demonstrated by last weekend’s Qatar Grand Prix, where a strategic call under the safety car derailed McLaren’s hopes — costing Piastri a likely win and Norris a probable podium.

Norris said he has already moved on from that disappointment, but he acknowledged the scale of the opportunity in front of him. “From the times, things look good at the minute, but I still want a bit more from the car,” he said. “I’m not completely happy, not completely confident. We’re trying different things and trying to understand the car. Hopefully we can find more overnight.”

There was mild drama early in FP2 when Verstappen moved sharply aside as Norris exited Turn 1. The stewards reviewed the moment but chose to take no further action.

Behind the leading pair, Piastri ended Friday only 11th after missing FP1 due to McLaren reserve Pato O’Ward’s mandatory rookie session. Verstappen, meanwhile, said Red Bull still needed more pace. “We just need to be a little bit faster,” he said. “We’ll try to put the best car forward and see what we can find overnight. Both the race pace and the single-lap pace need to improve.”

Piastri remained positive despite his lower-key start. “The car looks quick. I just need more laps and to find my rhythm. A few more laps tomorrow and a few more sets of tyres, and hopefully we’ll be right there.”