Norris Sets the Benchmark Again in Second Practice as Abu Dhabi Weekend Intensifies

Sports

Lando Norris continued his strong start to the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend by topping the timesheets once more in Free Practice 2, reinforcing his title-decider momentum under the lights of Yas Marina. The McLaren driver delivered a blistering late-session lap to finish FP2 comfortably ahead of key rivals.

Running in cooler evening conditions that closely match qualifying and race scenarios, teams shifted focus from rookie mileage to full performance programmes. Norris looked immediately comfortable, extracting strong one-lap pace while also showing competitive long run consistency.

Behind him, Max Verstappen ended the session second, just over a tenth behind, after encountering traffic during his push laps. His Red Bull showed improved balance compared to FP1, though the team hinted that overnight setup changes would be crucial to challenge for pole.

Third place went to Charles Leclerc, who continued Ferrari’s promising start to the weekend. His pace on the medium tyre run briefly put him on top before Norris’s late soft tyre lap reset the order.

A notable highlight came from Kimi Antonelli, who secured fourth with a composed and confident showing, steadily narrowing the gap to the front runners as he adapts to the circuit in competitive conditions.

Further down, long run simulations dominated much of the session. Mercedes focused heavily on tyre degradation evaluation, while Aston Martin and Alpine ran split programme tests to refine high fuel setups for Sunday.

With the top times tightening and championship pressure mounting, FP2 offered the clearest indication yet of the competitive order and Norris’s strong form has positioned him as the early favorite heading into qualifying.

The crucial FP3 and the final qualifying session now loom, with the title battle, team strategies, and season long narratives converging into what promises to be an electrifying Abu Dhabi finale.