Australian Formula 1 star Oscar Piastri has been left playing catch-up after a challenging and disrupted first day of practice at the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. While his McLaren teammate and championship leader Lando Norris fired an ominous warning by setting the fastest time in both sessions, Piastri's day was one of frustration and limited running.
Norris Shines as Piastri Stumbles at Yas Marina
The opening day at the Yas Marina Circuit proved to be a tale of two McLarens. Lando Norris, who leads the drivers' standings by 12 points from Max Verstappen and 16 from Piastri, enjoyed a near-perfect Friday. The Briton clocked a blistering benchmark of 1 minute 23.083 seconds in the second practice session under the floodlights, finishing over a third of a second clear of reigning champion Verstappen.
For Piastri, the day was stop-start. He was forced to sit out the entire first practice session as McLaren fulfilled a regulation to run a young driver, with Pato O'Ward taking his seat. When he finally got behind the wheel for the more representative evening session, the Melbourne-born driver struggled to find his rhythm. He locked up on his quickest lap and ended the day 11th fastest, 0.68 seconds adrift of Norris's best effort.
Team Orders Loom in Championship Battle
The performance gap has intensified speculation about potential team orders from McLaren for Sunday's race. Team principal Zak Brown addressed the elephant in the room, admitting the team would act to maximise its chances of winning the drivers' title.
"If, as the race develops, it becomes clear one of our drivers has a significantly better chance than the other, then we’re a team that wants to win the drivers’ championship and we will race accordingly," Brown stated. He expressed confidence that both drivers, including Piastri, would comply with any strategic call made in the team's interest.
This comes after a weekend in Qatar where Piastri demonstrated winning pace, only to be thwarted by strategy, making his subdued Friday in Abu Dhabi all the more poignant.
Mixed Reactions in the McLaren Garage
Despite his stellar lap times, Norris refused to get carried away. "Obviously, from the times, things look good at the minute, but I still want a bit more from the car," he said, cautioning that the field would tighten up for qualifying.
Piastri, typically unflappable, downplayed his struggles. "Finding my feet. Clearly, some things to try and improve for tomorrow, but after just one session, not too bad," he told reporters. He attributed his lap time deficit to minor details and a lack of grip on his first soft-tyre run, remaining optimistic about finding improvements.
Meanwhile, Max Verstappen had a vexing day in his Red Bull, complaining extensively about the car's balance and finishing a distant second to Norris. The day also saw a minor flashpoint when Verstappen, acting on incorrect information from his engineer, impeded Norris on track, though stewards took no further action.
With Mercedes' George Russell showing strong pace in third, the stage is set for a tense and tactical showdown in the desert, where the final championship standings will be decided.
