McLaren Dominates Abu Dhabi GP Free Practice 2 as Verstappen Faces Early Struggles at Yas Marina
The anticipation for the final race weekend of the 2024 Formula 1 season reached fever pitch as teams and drivers took to the iconic Yas Marina Circuit for the second free practice session of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. As twilight descended upon the glittering circuit, transforming the daytime conditions into the representative evening atmosphere for qualifying and the race, Free Practice 2 (FP2) emerged as the most crucial session for genuine performance assessment. This hour-long period allowed teams to fine-tune their setups under similar track temperatures and lighting that they would experience during the critical qualifying on Saturday and the main event on Sunday.
Adding an extra layer of excitement, FP2 saw the return of several championship contenders and seasoned drivers who had gracefully stepped aside for junior drivers in the earlier Free Practice 1 session. Among those rejoining the fray were reigning world champion Max Verstappen, the highly competitive Oscar Piastri, Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz Jnr, Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll, Williams’ Alexander Albon, and the ever-determined Yuki Tsunoda. Their reintegration promised a clearer picture of the pecking order as teams began their serious preparations for the season finale.
The Crucial Second Practice Session Commences
As the lights turned green, signifying the start of FP2, the pit lane bustled with activity. Most of the grid wasted no time in heading out onto the 5.281-kilometre Yas Marina track, eager to gather crucial data and get a feel for the circuit’s demanding layout. The initial runs, typically on medium or hard compound tyres, focused on bedding in brake systems, checking aero balance, and understanding the evolving track conditions as grip levels improved.
It wasn’t long before a benchmark lap was set. Lando Norris, showcasing McLaren’s strong form throughout the season, immediately put his mark on the session with an impressive 1’25.020. This early effort saw him three-tenths of a second clear of Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton, signalling McLaren’s intent to end the season on a high. The Woking-based squad has demonstrated significant progress, and their performance in Abu Dhabi would be a final testament to their championship charge.
Further down the timesheets, Kevin Magnussen, in what was speculated to be his final Grand Prix weekend of his career, found himself in ninth position during the opening exchanges. The experienced Dane reported immediate handling issues with his Haas, specifically noting “some understeer.” This early feedback highlighted the continuous challenge teams face in optimising their cars for varying circuit conditions and tyre compounds, especially in a session where setup changes are paramount.
Mercedes’ George Russell, a strong performer in recent weekends, gradually worked his way up the leaderboard, eventually slotting into fifth place. He positioned himself just behind the McLarens and Ferraris, indicating that Mercedes was also finding its rhythm and aiming to challenge at the front, hoping to convert their recent qualifying prowess into strong race results.
Rookie Jack Doohan’s Learning Curve and Team Radio Chatter
The session also provided a valuable opportunity for emerging talent, with Jack Doohan making his Grand Prix debut with Alpine this weekend. Understandably, the pressure of a live F1 session proved immense for the young Australian. He found himself at the bottom of the timesheets early on, grappling with the limits of the car and the track. A telling moment came over the team radio when Doohan questioned his race engineer, Josh Peckett: “Was that too much pressure? Was that why I locked the front-right?” Peckett calmly responded, guiding his driver: “Yeah, you locked both front and rear there so just being a little bit too ambitious on that braking point.” This candid exchange offered a rare glimpse into the mental and physical demands placed on rookies as they navigate the pinnacle of motorsport.
In a lighter moment that showcased the human side of Formula 1, McLaren’s Will Joseph and Lando Norris displayed a touch of humour. As Doohan approached Norris on track, Joseph cleverly alerted his driver with a playful reference to the popular TV show ‘Friends’: “Car behind is ‘how you doin’,” he quipped. Such moments of camaraderie and light-heartedness on team radio often provide a refreshing contrast to the intense competition.
However, not all team radio messages were so cheerful. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, known for his frank assessments, quickly reported a significant issue with his car. His communication to race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase was succinct and concerning: “It’s bad. Really bad problem in the car. Front axle is just not working.” This early feedback from the reigning champion was a clear indicator that Red Bull was facing an uphill battle in FP2, especially concerning the critical front-end grip needed for a circuit like Yas Marina with its numerous technical corners.
Adding to the list of challenges, Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc also raised an alarm over the radio. The Monegasque driver expressed concern that he might have damaged his car’s floor: “I don’t know if I destroyed the plank.” The floor and its associated plank are critical components for generating downforce in modern F1 cars, and any damage can severely compromise performance. Race engineer Bryan Bozzi promptly instructed Leclerc to pit for a thorough inspection, underscoring the delicate balance of pushing limits without incurring costly damage.
Qualifying Simulations Light Up Yas Marina
As the session progressed towards its midway point, a collective hush fell over the track. This momentary silence was a universally recognized signal: drivers were returning to the pits to fit fresh soft compound tyres, preparing for their crucial qualifying simulation runs. These short, high-intensity stints are designed to mimic the conditions of Saturday qualifying, providing vital data on ultimate single-lap pace and allowing drivers to practice their qualifying procedures.
The qualifying simulations immediately ignited the leaderboard. Lando Norris initially posted a respectable 1’24.332 on the medium tyres, demonstrating solid baseline pace. However, his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri swiftly eclipsed this with a blistering 1’23.751 on the softs, showcasing the immediate performance gain from the grippier compound. Not to be outdone, Norris then returned to the top of the timesheets with an even faster 1’23.517 on softs, firmly establishing McLaren’s dominant one-two at that point. This powerful display from the Woking squad underscored their strong form and potential for the weekend.
In stark contrast to McLaren’s prowess, Max Verstappen could only manage a surprising seventh place with his qualifying simulation run. This was significantly off the pace of the McLarens and a clear indication that his earlier complaints about the car’s front axle were severely impacting his ability to extract maximum performance. His struggles presented a rare sight for the championship-winning team and suggested a busy night ahead for the Red Bull engineers.
Carlos Sainz Jnr put in a strong effort for Ferrari, slotting into third position, albeit a notable six-tenths of a second slower than Norris. This gap highlighted the performance delta McLaren had achieved. Lewis Hamilton, in the Mercedes, remarkably got within two-hundredths of a second of Sainz’s time, signalling a tight battle for supremacy between the Italian and German giants. Hamilton’s close proximity to Sainz was particularly intriguing, foreshadowing the potential for a fierce contest in qualifying.
George Russell, the pole-winner in the last two races, delivered a somewhat subdued performance in his initial qualifying run, only managing eleventh position, a full second off Norris’s pace. This might suggest Mercedes was running a different programme or struggling to unlock the car’s full potential on a single lap in FP2. Nevertheless, Russell’s recent form indicated he would likely find more pace when it truly mattered.
Go ad-free for just £1 per month>> Find out more and sign up
A commendable performance came from Nico Hulkenberg, who steered his Haas to an impressive third place. This strong showing put only the two McLarens ahead of him, demonstrating the German’s ability to extract performance and hinting at Haas’s potential for a strong qualifying. Meanwhile, Charles Leclerc found himself frustrated by traffic during his hot lap, expressing his annoyance over the radio with a succinct assessment of his rivals: “sleeping.” Navigating traffic is a perennial challenge in practice sessions, often compromising ideal runs.
Williams’ Woes Continue in Abu Dhabi
The session brought further misfortune for Williams Racing, a team that has faced its share of challenges this season. The team confirmed that Franco Colapinto’s participation in the second practice was prematurely over. His car sustained floor damage, necessitating extensive repairs that consumed the remainder of the session. Floor damage, as previously noted with Leclerc, is a critical issue that can severely impact a car’s aerodynamic efficiency and handling.
To make matters worse for the Grove-based team, disaster struck again almost immediately. Alexander Albon was seen cruising down the main straight with an apparent technical problem, forcing him to bring his car back to the garage. This double blow for Williams, impacting both their cars within a short span, underscored the difficulties they faced in gathering crucial data for the weekend and further compounded their challenging season.
Focus Shifts to Long Runs and Race Preparation
As the final quarter of the session approached, the focus for most teams shifted from single-lap pace to longer runs, simulating race conditions. This phase is crucial for understanding tyre degradation across different compounds, fuel load management, and overall race pace. It allows teams to validate their strategy options for Sunday’s Grand Prix, gathering data on how the tyres will perform over an extended period.
Despite his earlier struggles with car balance, Max Verstappen was instructed by his team to undertake 11 timed laps on his long run, indicating Red Bull’s determination to collect as much data as possible and understand the car’s behaviour under race conditions, hoping to mitigate the issues reported earlier. This commitment to data gathering, even when facing problems, is characteristic of top teams.
The final ten minutes of the session unfolded largely without incident, with drivers completing their long runs and returning to the pits. As the chequered flag eventually fell, signalling the end of Free Practice 2, the results painted a clear picture of McLaren’s formidable performance. It was a dominant one-two for the papaya squad, with Lando Norris leading Oscar Piastri. In a surprising twist, Nico Hulkenberg secured an impressive third place for Haas, a fantastic result for the German driver. The biggest shock of the session, however, was Max Verstappen languishing all the way down in 17th position, highlighting the significant challenges Red Bull faced in unlocking performance during FP2.
This marked the conclusion of the final Friday practice day of the 2024 season. While practice sessions do not award points, the results of FP2 in Abu Dhabi provide a compelling narrative for the remainder of the weekend. McLaren’s strong showing places them firmly as contenders for pole position and the race victory, while Red Bull faces a critical period of analysis to address Verstappen’s car issues. The stage is now set for a thrilling qualifying session and a dramatic season finale at Yas Marina.
Here’s our report on the second practice session
2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
- Did Tsunoda ‘destroy’ his team mates – and are Red Bull wrong to pick Lawson over him?
- McLaren were ‘0.7 seconds away from losing the title’ in Abu Dhabi – Brown
- Another name change for RB and new driver numbers revealed in 2025 F1 entry list
- Ranked: The Formula 1 cars of 2024, from slowest to fastest
- McLaren are world champions with fewest grand prix wins in 25 years
Browse all 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix articles