McLaren’s championship leader Lando Norris set the fastest lap in first practice for the title-deciding Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Friday, edging closest rival Max Verstappen by just 0.008 seconds. Norris posted a best time of 1:24.485 around the Yas Marina Circuit in a session largely reserved for young prospects and development drivers, with only 11 regular race drivers participating.

Verstappen expressed concern over the radio about his car’s handling on the slippery track, noting that the unrepresentative afternoon heat differed from the nighttime conditions expected for Sunday’s race. “There might be something broken on the car,” he reported.

Third in the session was McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri, who is also in the championship hunt but trails Norris by 16 points. Piastri, however, observed from the pit wall as 26-year-old Mexican IndyCar driver and F1 reserve Pato O’Ward took laps in his car. “There’s some guy that has taken my seat,” joked McLaren boss Zak Brown.

Under Formula 1 rules, each regular driver must give way in two Friday first practice sessions per season for rookies or drivers with fewer than three grands prix starts.

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc was third fastest, while his younger brother Arthur Leclerc set 16th in Lewis Hamilton’s car. The Monegasque siblings made history at the track last year as the first brothers to participate in a practice session together, but Charles was less enthused this time: “The car just feels like it has zero grip. It is unbelievable,” he said.

Mercedes had both regulars on track, with Kimi Antonelli fourth and George Russell sixth. Sauber’s Nico Hülkenberg, preparing for his 250th F1 start, was fifth.

Among the non-regular drivers, Toyota-backed Japanese racer Ryo Hirakawa was the fastest, placing 11th for Haas, just ahead of Racing Bulls’ Isack Hadjar in 12th. Arvid Lindblad, who will replace Hadjar next season when the Frenchman moves to Red Bull, finished 15th in Yuki Tsunoda’s Red Bull during his third practice appearance of the year.