The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend has roared to life, and already we've got a potential upset brewing! Lando Norris stunned the field in FP2, leaving Max Verstappen in his wake. But is this a true indicator of McLaren's pace, or just a flash in the pan? Let's dive into the details of a fascinating second practice session.
McLaren's Lando Norris topped the timesheets during Friday's Free Practice 2 (FP2) for the 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, clocking a blistering 1m 23.083s. This put him ahead of reigning four-time World Champion Max Verstappen in his Red Bull, and George Russell in the Mercedes. However, Norris's teammate, Oscar Piastri, had a less stellar session, finishing back in 11th place. This immediately raises the question: can McLaren consistently deliver this level of performance across both cars, or was this simply a perfect lap for Norris?
Remember FP1? It saw a host of 'rookie' drivers taking to the track. But FP2 saw the return of the seasoned racers, eager to dial in their cars for qualifying and the race. Piastri, who notably sat out FP1, was among those returning to the cockpit. Despite some last-minute adjustments by his mechanics just before the session began at 17:00 local time, Piastri was able to get his practice program underway without any initial hitches.
There was a moment of early drama involving Verstappen and Norris. As Norris started a flying lap and Verstappen was exiting Turn 1 at the end of his own lap, a misunderstanding over the radio with Verstappen's engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, nearly led to contact.
"What's this guy doing? I almost crashed," Norris exclaimed over the radio. The stewards investigated the incident, but ultimately decided to take no further action. This is a point that could spark debate: was it simply a racing incident, or should Verstappen have been penalized for impeding Norris? What do you think?
For a brief period, Racing Bulls rookie Isack Hadjar (who is slated to drive for Red Bull in 2026) led the session with a 1m 24.167s on soft tires. This was only marginally quicker than Haas's Oliver Bearman (also on softs), followed by Norris, Verstappen, and Piastri, who were all initially running on medium tires. But here's where it gets controversial... Was Hadjar's pace a genuine glimpse of his potential, or simply a result of running lighter fuel loads earlier in the session?
Verstappen then switched to soft tires and lowered the benchmark to 1m 23.446s. However, Norris responded almost immediately, setting the fastest time of the session with a 1m 23.083s on the soft compound.
All eyes then turned to Piastri to see what he could achieve on his qualifying simulation run, but he only managed a low-key lap that left him down in 10th position. He was behind both Mercedes cars, both Kick Saubers, Bearman's Haas, Hadjar's Racing Bulls, and Charles Leclerc's Ferrari. And this is the part most people miss... Piastri's struggles highlight the delicate balance of car setup and driver confidence. Was it simply a bad lap, or is there something fundamentally wrong with his car's setup?
Meanwhile, Williams had their own issues to contend with. Carlos Sainz had a dramatic snap through the high-speed Turns 2 and 3, which he managed to save with impressive skill. Alex Albon also appeared to be experiencing engine problems.
After the qualifying simulations, teams shifted their focus to longer runs to gather data for Sunday’s race. Norris's earlier time remained the fastest, ahead of Verstappen (who reported bouncing late in the session) and Russell. Bearman finished an impressive fourth for Haas, ahead of Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto in their Saubers. "Mate, the car is insane! I don’t know how it’s so good," Bearman exclaimed over the radio.
Hadjar also had a strong showing, finishing seventh, ahead of Leclerc, Fernando Alonso in the Aston Martin, and Kimi Antonelli in the other Mercedes. Piastri finished just outside the top 10.
Lance Stroll followed his Aston Martin teammate Alonso in 12th, ahead of the Williams drivers Sainz and Albon, who were sandwiching Lewis Hamilton's Ferrari, the Haas of Esteban Ocon, outgoing Red Bull racer Yuki Tsunoda, Liam Lawson’s Racing Bulls and the Alpines.
Teams will now analyze the data and consider setup changes before Saturday's final practice session, scheduled for 14:30 local time.
So, the big question remains: Can Lando Norris and McLaren maintain this pace throughout the weekend? Will Verstappen and Red Bull respond? And what about Piastri – can he find the missing speed? What are your predictions for qualifying and the race? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
