Lando Norris topped both Abu Dhabi practice sessions, suggesting McLaren has strong one-lap pace and making him a tempting bet for pole or a top-3 finish; punters might back Norris to secure a podium or outqualify Verstappen, but practice runs can mislead—consider tyre programmes and qualifying simulations before placing outright-win wagers.
Norris Leads FP1 and FP2 as Abu Dhabi Title Decider Looms
Lando Norris set the pace in both Friday practice sessions at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, hitting the ground running on a weekend that will decide the Drivers’ Championship. Norris finished FP2 almost four tenths clear of Max Verstappen in representative qualifying conditions at Yas Marina, giving McLaren a clear statement of intent heading into the final day.
Practice Pace, But Caution From Norris
Despite topping the timesheets, Norris sounded tempered optimism as he looks to fine-tune the car for qualifying and the race. “Obviously from the times and everything, things are good at the minute, but I still want a bit more from the car,” he said. “Not completely happy, not completely confident. We’re a bit in the middle of trying some different things and then trying to understand some things with the car, so hopefully some more stuff we can get out of it overnight. But it’s not been a bad day, for sure. It’s been a positive day, but we always know it gets a lot closer going into quali, so nothing to smile about just yet.”
Norris arrives at Yas Marina with a 12-point lead in the championship and knows a podium will secure his maiden Drivers’ Championship, adding extra pressure and strategic nuance for McLaren across qualifying and the race.
Piastri Still in Mathematical Contention
Oscar Piastri, 16 points behind his teammate, remains in mathematical contention despite a mistake in FP2 that left him outside the top 10. He experienced a lock-up on his qualifying simulation but remained upbeat about his chances. “I think pretty good. I think the car’s looked quick. Just need to get some more laps under my belt and find my feet, a bit more rear, that’s also a few more laps tomorrow, a few more sets of tyres. Hopefully we’ll be there. I think it’s more just little details [to change]. The car feels like it’s in a pretty decent place again, just didn’t get the grip out of it in that first soft lap. So, some small tweaks. Of course, it didn’t feel perfect out there, but nothing major.”
Qualifying and Race Outlook
McLaren’s FP showing suggests strong one-lap performance potential, but both drivers highlighted room for improvement. Yas Marina traditionally tightens up in qualifying trim, which could narrow margins and reshuffle expectations. Teams will focus on tyre allocation, setup tweaks and final simulations overnight to extract any marginal gains ahead of Saturday’s shootout.
Betting Implications for Punters
Norris’s practice dominance improves his case for markets like pole position, front-row qualifiers or a podium finish, especially given his championship incentive. However, the caveat remains that practice does not always translate to qualifying or race performance. Punters should factor in tyre usage, simulated runs vs race runs, and likely strategy calls when weighing bets on outright wins, head-to-head matchups, or top-3 finishes.
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Lando Norris topped both Friday practice sessions in Abu Dhabi, but "there's nothing to smile about just yet."
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