McLaren's F1 title hopes to go up as Ferrari hit Abu Dhabi finale | Sports News

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

Ferrari's hopes of winning a first Formula One constructors' title since 2008 took a major hit as Charles Leclerc collected 10 points and rivals McLaren went one-two on Friday in practice for the final race of the season in Abu Dhabi.

Leclerc was fastest in the first session of the afternoon at the Yas Marina circuit but Ferrari then revealed they had changed the battery in his car, a breach which led to an automatic penalty.

McLaren's Lando Norris was quickest in the second flood-lit session, 0.234 faster than fellow Australian Oscar Piastri.

Ferrari are 21 points adrift of McLaren, who were last champions in 1998, with 44 to go in Sunday's 24th and final race of the season as 2023 champions Red Bull are out.

McLaren is ready to jump on Ferrari's bandwagon

McLaren principal Andrea Stella, formerly of Ferrari, said there was no sense the pressure had eased. “We are talking about Charles Leclerc. We are talking about Ferrari. It's a very powerful combination,” he said. “I think that even with the penalty, I won't be surprised if we see them fighting for the front, fighting for the top places. So nothing has changed.”

Leclerc clocked 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 team-mate George Russell finished third and fourth in first practice, with Haas' Nico Hulkenberg an impressive third in the latest session with Carlos Sainz fourth for Ferrari and Leclerc sixth.

Sunday's race will be Hamilton's last at Mercedes before he joins Ferrari as Sainz's replacement, with the Spaniard targeting Williams. Hamilton was fifth later and Russell 13th.

Alpine's Pierre Gasly was running fifth in the first session, with new Australian teammate Jack Doohan only 19th in preparation for his first race in place of Esteban Ocon.

The pair were 12th and 19th respectively later.

William's Franco Colapinto and Alex Albon will both have five mechanical changes, another blow to a team frustrated by costly accidents that have pushed them to the brink.

Colapinto, who will hand over his seat to Sainz next season, hit the curb and damaged his car in the second half.

Abu Dhabi GP hosts F1 first

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

Six of the 10 teams had a young driver drive one of their cars in the afternoon session, fulfilling the obligation to give them track time.

Ryo Hirakawa of Japan replaced Piastri, Isack Hadjar drove for four-time champion Max Verstappen of Red Bull, and Felipe Drugovich entered Lance Stroll's Aston Martin.

Ayumu Iwasa stood in for Japan's Yuki Tsunoda at RB and Luke Browning for Albon.

Verstappen, who won last year's race and had a heated rivalry with Russell, returned to practice for the second time and finished 17th with team-mate Sergio Perez in 14th.