Charles Leclerc set the best time in the first free practice session for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the final round of the 2024 Formula 1 season.
Charles Leclerc opened hostilities during Free Practice 1 of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix by setting the best time ahead of Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton. These first runs also allowed several young drivers to shine, marking a page in history for some.
A first for the Leclerc brothers
The session was marked by the participation of several rookies, in accordance with the tradition of EL1 at the end of the season. Among them, Arthur Leclerc made his debut behind the wheel of Carlos Sainz's Ferrari, joining his brother Charles on the track. This is a historic first for F1: two brothers engaged in the same session, and within the same team.
Among the other young talents, Isack Hadjar, tipped to join the Racing Bulls team in 2025, took control of the Red Bull usually driven by Max Verstappen. However, the Frenchman encountered difficulties taming the quadruple world champion's car, finishing in a modest fifteenth place.
Other rookies were also in action, notably Jack Doohan with Alpine, Felipe Drugovich in the Aston Martin, and Luke Browning in the Williams. These sessions offer teams the opportunity to evaluate the talents of tomorrow.
Mercedes and McLaren in good shape
On the Yas Marina circuit, the Mercedes quickly showed their competitiveness. Lewis Hamilton took the lead in the provisional standings after half an hour, followed by his teammate George Russell and Lando Norris. The McLaren driver then hit hard by setting a time of 1:24.542 on soft tires, thus displaying the potential of his car.
In the Haas camp, Nico Hülkenberg and Kevin Magnussen stood out by provisionally occupying the top 6. Their objective? Reclaiming sixth place in the F1 constructors' standings from Alpine. On the other hand, the French team encountered more difficulties, with Pierre Gasly and Jack Doohan classified outside the top 10.
Leclerc and Ferrari finish in style
In the final minutes, Charles Leclerc put on the soft tires and flew through the session with a lap in 1:24.321, ahead of Norris by two tenths. Meanwhile, his brother Arthur placed sixteenth, more than two seconds behind.
This weekend is crucial for Ferrari and McLaren, who are competing for the constructors' runner-up title. With a delay of 21 points on McLaren, Ferrari will have to give everything. On the drivers' side, the fight for the vice-championship title between Leclerc and Norris also promises to be thrilling, with only eight points separating them before the final race.
Free practice 1 gave a foretaste of a weekend full of challenges, mixing rivalries and the emergence of tomorrow's talents.
