Charles Leclerc topped the timesheets ahead of Lando Norris in the opening practice session of the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, but Ferrari’s hopes of clinching the Constructors’ Championship suffered a significant setback after Leclerc was hit with a 10-place grid penalty for Sunday’s race.
Shortly after Leclerc set the fastest lap at the Yas Marina Circuit, Ferrari revealed that a battery change on his car would incur a penalty. This dampened what initially seemed like a promising start to their weekend as they chased McLaren in the battle for the Constructors’ title. Ferrari trailed McLaren by 21 points heading into the 2024 season finale and would realistically need a one-two finish to mount serious pressure in their bid for a first title since 2008. Leclerc’s penalty ensured he would start no higher than 11th on the grid.
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The first practice session saw several notable absences, with six regular drivers, including world champion Max Verstappen, sitting out to allow rookies their mandatory track time. Leclerc edged out McLaren’s Norris with a best lap of 1:24.321, securing a slight morale boost despite the looming grid penalty.
The session also marked a historic moment as Leclerc and his younger brother Arthur became the first siblings to act as teammates during an F1 session. Arthur, a development driver for Ferrari, made his P1 debut, substituting for Carlos Sainz and finishing 18th.
Norris was two-tenths of a second behind Leclerc, while the Mercedes duo of Lewis Hamilton and George Russell claimed third and fourth, respectively. This weekend marked the end of an era for Hamilton, who would leave Mercedes after 12 years to join Ferrari for the 2025 season. However, Hamilton potentially faced a setback of his own, as he was summoned to the stewards for allegedly impeding Norris during the session.
Haas driver Nico Hulkenberg finished sixth as he prepared to bid farewell to the team, while rookie Franco Colapinto impressed with seventh for Williams. However, Williams confirmed during the session that both Colapinto and Alex Albon would take five-place grid penalties for exceeding gearbox usage limits, adding further intrigue to Sunday’s starting order.
Abu Dhabi GP FP1 Results
2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix FP1, 6 December 2024
| Pos | No | Driver | Car | Time | Gap | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1:24.321 | 19 | |
| 2 | 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren Mercedes | 1:24.542 | +0.221s | 25 |
| 3 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 1:24.806 | +0.485s | 27 |
| 4 | 63 | George Russell | Mercedes | 1:25.165 | +0.844s | 27 |
| 5 | 10 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine Renault | 1:25.333 | +1.012s | 24 |
| 6 | 27 | Nico Hulkenberg | Haas Ferrari | 1:25.373 | +1.052s | 23 |
| 7 | 43 | Franco Colapinto | Williams Mercedes | 1:25.382 | +1.061s | 24 |
| 8 | 20 | Kevin Magnussen | Haas Ferrari | 1:25.444 | +1.123s | 25 |
| 9 | 34 | Felipe Drugovich | Aston Martin Aramco Mercedes | 1:25.471 | +1.150s | 22 |
| 10 | 11 | Sergio Perez | Red Bull Racing Honda RBPT | 1:25.483 | +1.162s | 26 |
| 11 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin Aramco Mercedes | 1:25.504 | +1.183s | 23 |
| 12 | 30 | Liam Lawson | RB Honda RBPT | 1:25.563 | +1.242s | 27 |
| 13 | 77 | Valtteri Bottas | Kick Sauber Ferrari | 1:25.611 | +1.290s | 23 |
| 14 | 28 | Ryo Hirakawa | McLaren Mercedes | 1:25.874 | +1.553s | 19 |
| 15 | 37 | Isack Hadjar | Red Bull Racing Honda RBPT | 1:25.877 | +1.556s | 22 |
| 16 | 24 | Zhou Guanyu | Kick Sauber Ferrari | 1:25.921 | +1.600s | 23 |
| 17 | 40 | Ayumu Iwasa | RB Honda RBPT | 1:26.121 | +1.800s | 24 |
| 18 | 39 | Arthur Leclerc | Ferrari | 1:26.179 | +1.858s | 22 |
| 19 | 61 | Jack Doohan | Alpine Renault | 1:26.304 | +1.983s | 24 |
| 20 | 46 | Luke Browning | Williams Mercedes | 1:26.519 | +2.198s | 22 |
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