McLaren's F1 title hopes rise as Ferrari takes blow in Abu Dhabi finale | Motorsport news

Chares Leclerc receives a 10-place grid penalty for battery change at the Abu Dhabi GP, dealing a blow to Ferrari's title hopes.

Ferrari's hopes of winning a first Formula 1 constructors' title since 2008 were dealt a blow when Charles Leclerc lost 10 places on the grid and rival McLaren finished second in Friday's free practice for the final race of the season in Abu Dhabi.

Leclerc was fastest in the opening day session at the Yas Marina circuit, but Ferrari later revealed he had changed his car's battery, an infraction which triggered an automatic penalty.

McLaren's Lando Norris was fastest in the second floodlit session, 0.234 faster than Australian teammate Oscar Piastri.

Ferrari is 21 points behind McLaren, who were last champions in 1998, with 44 points up for grabs in the 24th and final race of the season on Sunday, with 2023 champions Red Bull out of the race.

McLaren ready to bounce back from Ferrari slide

McLaren boss Andrea Stella, who was previously at Ferrari, said there was no sense of pressure easing, however. “We are talking about Charles Leclerc. We are talking about Ferrari. It’s a very strong combination,” he said. “I think even with the penalty I wouldn't be surprised if we could see them very quickly fighting for the front, for the top positions. So nothing changes. »

Leclerc set a best time of one minute 24.321 seconds, with Norris 0.221 slower. Norris' best lap in second practice was 1:23.517.

Mercedes' seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton and teammate George Russell finished third and fourth in the first practice session, with Haas' Nico Hulkenberg an impressive third in the final session, Carlos Sainz fourth for Ferrari and Leclerc sixth.

Sunday's race will be Hamilton's last for Mercedes before joining Ferrari to replace Sainz, with the Spaniard heading to Williams. Hamilton later finished fifth and Russell 13th.

Alpine's Pierre Gasly finished fifth in the first session, while his new Australian teammate Jack Doohan finished only 19th in preparation for his first race replacing Esteban Ocon.

The duo were 12th and 19th respectively later.

Williams' Franco Colapinto and Alex Albon will both drop five places due to mechanical changes, another blow to a team reeling from a series of costly crashes that pushed them to the brink with spare parts.

Colapinto, who will give up his seat to Sainz for next season, hit a curb and damaged the floor of his car during the second session.

Abu Dhabi GP hosts F1 first

In a Formula 1 first, two brothers took to the track for the same team in the opening session – with Leclerc being joined by his younger brother Arthur (18th) who drove Sainz's Ferrari.

Six of the ten teams had a young driver behind the wheel of one of their cars in the afternoon session, fulfilling the obligation to give him track time.

Japanese Ryo Hirakawa replaced Piastri, Isack Hadjar drove the Red Bull of four-time champion Max Verstappen and Felipe Drugovich was in the Aston Martin of Lance Stroll.

Ayumu Iwasa replaced fellow Japanese Yuki Tsunoda at RB and Luke Browning for Albon.

Verstappen, winner of last year's race and engaged in a bitter row with Russell that was the talk of the paddock, returned for practice two and finished 17th with teammate Sergio Perez 14th.