What the teams said – Friday in Abu Dhabi

Lando Norris dominated both Free Practice sessions at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, showcasing McLaren's strong pace. While Norris secured the top spot, teammate Oscar Piastri faced challenges, struggling to set a representative soft-tyre lap in FP2. Max Verstappen consistently finished second, though not entirely satisfied with his Red Bull. Mercedes, with George Russell securing third in FP2, displayed competitive form. Kick Sauber's Nico Hülkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto also impressed, finishing fifth and sixth. In contrast, Ferrari and Alpine experienced a challenging Friday, needing to find significant improvements overnight. The tight margins across the midfield suggest an intense qualifying battle ahead, with Pirelli noting higher than expected tyre degradation.