2024 F1 Round 24, Abu Dhabi GP FP2: Norris Leads McLaren One-Two in 1:23.517, Hülkenberg Third as Ferrari Trails

INKA Sports reports: Second practice for the 2024 Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix concluded at Yas Marina on the evening of 6 December. McLaren showed a commanding pace advantage, with Lando Norris fastest in 1:23.517 and team-mate Oscar Piastri 0.234 seconds behind to complete a one-two. Haas driver Nico Hülkenberg was a surprise third, 0.462 seconds off Norris’s time.

The McLaren MCL38’s competitiveness extended beyond a single lap, with a clear advantage on long runs as well. Team radio indicated that Piastri’s long-run pace prompted Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc to describe him as “quite quick”, with the gap between the teams over a long run around 0.8 seconds. For McLaren, holding a 21-point lead and closing in on its first constructors’ title since 1998, the FP2 performance provided a major boost ahead of the season finale.

Ferrari faced a difficult challenge. Carlos Sainz was fourth, 0.582 seconds behind, with Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton fifth at 0.602 seconds. Leclerc struggled with traffic and set-up and was only sixth, 0.684 seconds off the pace. With Leclerc already facing a ten-place grid penalty for an energy-store change, Ferrari needed Sainz to shoulder a substantial part of its points-scoring effort in qualifying and the race. The evident deficit to McLaren, however, made a turnaround look difficult.

Haas continued its strong form at the final round. Hülkenberg was third and Kevin Magnussen eighth, 0.718 seconds behind, with both VF-24s remaining competitive around sunset as the track temperature dropped by about 10°C. Their performance added further uncertainty to the fight for sixth in the constructors’ standings. Sauber also brought upgrades, with Valtteri Bottas seventh at 0.713 seconds, near the front of the midfield, and Zhou Guanyu 15th at 1.040 seconds.

Red Bull struggled. Sergio Pérez was only 14th, 1.038 seconds behind, while Max Verstappen, short of running after handing his car to a young driver in FP1, finished 17th at 1.081 seconds. RB’s Yuki Tsunoda returned after missing FP1 and took tenth, 0.980 seconds off the pace and just 0.006 seconds ahead of team-mate Liam Lawson, offering encouragement for his bid to score points. Williams had a difficult session: Franco Colapinto damaged his car over a kerb at Turn 8 and stopped early, while Alexander Albon still finished ninth despite a drivetrain problem.

FP3 would take place on Saturday, followed by qualifying to determine the starting order. Whether McLaren could maintain its advantage and Ferrari could mount a comeback remained open questions.