If you’re the sort who believes Formula 1 is a sport of relentless predictability, the 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix’s second practice session would like a word. On a Friday evening at Yas Marina, as the sun dipped behind the grandstands and the championship tension thickened like the humidity, Lando Norris and McLaren delivered a statement so emphatic it bordered on the impolite. But as ever in F1, the numbers only tell half the story. The rest is written in the faces of drivers, the nervous laughter of engineers, and the collective gasp of a paddock that—just for a moment—wondered if the old order was about to be upended.
- The Numbers Don’t Lie—But They Do Tease
- McLaren’s Friday: A Papaya Dream or a Mirage?
- Verstappen: The Hunter, Not the Hunted
- The Young and the Restless: Bearman, Hadjar, and the New Guard
- Piastri’s Puzzles and the Rookie Factor
- Mercedes: Russell Shines, Antonelli Steadies
- Historical Parallels: When Practice Meant Everything—And Nothing
- The Title Picture: Pressure, Paranoia, and the Podium
- The Surprises That Weren’t—And the Ones That Were
- Waste a Bit More Time
The Numbers Don’t Lie—But They Do Tease
Let’s start with the cold, hard facts. Here are your top ten from FP2 at Yas Marina, 2025:
| Position | Driver | Team | Time | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lando Norris | McLaren | 1:23.083 | — |
| 2 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | +0.363 | |
| 3 | George Russell | Mercedes | +0.379 | |
| 4 | Oliver Bearman | Haas | +0.418 | |
| 5 | Nico Hülkenberg | Sauber | +0.467 | |
| 6 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Sauber | +0.487 | |
| 7 | Isack Hadjar | Racing Bulls | +0.574 | |
| 8 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | +0.575 | |
| 9 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | +0.625 | |
| 10 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | +0.667 |
Oscar Piastri, Norris’s teammate and still mathematically in the title hunt, languished in 11th, a mere 0.680 seconds adrift but, in F1 terms, a chasm. Full results and session details here.
McLaren’s Friday: A Papaya Dream or a Mirage?
McLaren’s resurgence has been the slowest of slow burns—think more “restoring a cathedral” than “changing a tyre.” But today, Norris was not just fast; he was untouchable. His 1:23.083 was nearly four tenths clear of Verstappen, a margin that would have made Ron Dennis raise an eyebrow and perhaps even smile (though let’s not get carried away).
The session was not without its drama. Norris, ever the perfectionist, was quick to temper expectations:
Obviously from the times and everything, things are good at the minute, but I still want a bit more from the car. Not completely happy, not completely confident. We’re a bit in the middle of trying some different things and then trying to understand some things with the car, so hopefully some more stuff we can get out of it overnight. But it’s not been a bad day, for sure. It’s been a positive day, but we always know it gets a lot closer going into quali, so nothing to smile about just yet.Lando Norris, via PlanetF1
You can almost hear the ghost of Ayrton Senna muttering about “perfection” in the background. Read Norris’s full reaction here.
Verstappen: The Hunter, Not the Hunted
Max Verstappen, four-time world champion and perennial Yas Marina menace, found himself in the unfamiliar position of chasing. The Red Bull looked lively but not planted, and Verstappen’s radio was a symphony of complaints about bouncing—a word that, in the Red Bull garage, is now considered profanity.
Still, Verstappen’s ability to extract lap time from a recalcitrant car is the stuff of legend. He finished second, but the gap to Norris was a warning shot. The Dutchman’s body language in the paddock was all business, no bravado.
Verstappen had complained of bouncing again at the wheel of the RB21 during the second practice session and finished second to Norris on the timesheets.GPFans.com
For those who enjoy a bit of schadenfreude, here’s a detailed session report with all the Verstappen-Piastri-Norris intrigue you could want.
The Young and the Restless: Bearman, Hadjar, and the New Guard
If you’re looking for surprises, look no further than Oliver Bearman in the Haas and Isack Hadjar in the Racing Bulls. Bearman, who has spent most of the season being described as “promising” (the F1 equivalent of “nice personality”), was fourth fastest, ahead of both Ferraris and one Mercedes. Hadjar, meanwhile, was seventh, continuing his quiet campaign to be the most annoying rookie on the grid—annoying, that is, for the established order.
Gabriel Bortoleto and Nico Hülkenberg, both in Saubers, also gatecrashed the top six. For a team that has spent much of the hybrid era as the answer to the trivia question “Who finished 14th?”, this was a welcome change.
Piastri’s Puzzles and the Rookie Factor
Oscar Piastri’s day was, in a word, “scrappy.” After missing FP1 due to a rookie driver swap (Pato O’Ward, for those keeping score), the Australian never looked comfortable. A lock-up at Turn 6 on his qualifying simulation run cost him dearly, and he ended the session outside the top ten.
A shorter day for me today, but lots of learning in FP2. The car was in a good window, we just need to make a few tweaks overnight. I was finding my feet towards the end, so we’ll review overnight and head into Quali day in a strong position.Oscar Piastri, via GrandPrix247
It’s a reminder that even in the era of simulators and data, there’s no substitute for seat time. Read the full McLaren team report here.
Mercedes: Russell Shines, Antonelli Steadies
George Russell, who has made a habit of being the fastest man on Fridays and the unluckiest on Sundays, was third. The Mercedes looked balanced, if not spectacular, and Russell’s long-run pace suggested that Toto Wolff’s men might yet have a say in the outcome of this weekend.
Kimi Antonelli, the much-hyped Italian rookie, rounded out the top ten. For a driver who has been compared to everyone from Lewis Hamilton to Tazio Nuvolari (by people who should know better), it was a quietly competent session.
Historical Parallels: When Practice Meant Everything—And Nothing
Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. FP2 is, historically, the most representative practice session of the weekend, run in conditions closest to qualifying and the race. But if you’re looking for omens, remember: topping FP2 at Yas Marina is no guarantee of glory. In fact, McLaren and Norris have often been Friday heroes and Sunday footnotes. In 2021, Norris finished FP2 in P6; in 2022, P7; in 2023, P5. The last time McLaren topped FP2 here? You’d have to go back to the Button-Hamilton era, when the world was young and DRS was still a novelty.
As for dramatic FP2 sessions deciding titles—well, that’s the stuff of fiction. No championship has ever been won or lost on a Friday evening. But don’t tell that to the engineers poring over terabytes of data tonight.
The Title Picture: Pressure, Paranoia, and the Podium
The stakes could not be higher. Norris leads Verstappen by 12 points heading into the final race. He needs only a podium to secure his maiden title. Verstappen, meanwhile, must win and hope for a Norris disaster. The tension is palpable, and every glance, every radio message, is loaded with subtext.
Zak Brown, McLaren’s CEO and part-time motivational speaker, summed it up with his usual candor:
Oscar is not totally dialled in yet but he will get there. I’ve been impressed with both of our drivers coming into the weekend, they seem more relaxed than normal. We had a great team BBQ last night and the speeches Oscar and Lando gave together was awesome.Zak Brown, via Crash.net
If you’re wondering whether McLaren will use team orders, Brown’s answer was as subtle as a sledgehammer: “Of course.” Read more on McLaren’s team dynamics here.
The Surprises That Weren’t—And the Ones That Were
Every FP2 throws up its share of red herrings. Today’s session was no different. The real surprises were not just in the timesheets but in the body language of the paddock. Verstappen looked rattled. Norris looked hungry. Bearman looked like he’d just been told he could keep the car.
And then there’s the midfield, where the likes of Bortoleto, Hadjar, and Hülkenberg are quietly rewriting the script. If you’re a fan of chaos, keep an eye on the opening laps on Sunday.
Waste a Bit More Time
If you’ve made it this far, you’re either a true F1 tragic or just avoiding work. Either way, here are some links to keep you occupied until qualifying:
- Full FP2 results and analysis at F1i.com
- Norris’s reaction and McLaren’s cautious optimism at PlanetF1
- Session report and driver quotes at GrandPrix247
- Bearman and the new guard shake up the order at GPFans
- Piastri’s struggles and Norris’s dominance at AutoAction
And for those who prefer their news with a side of social media, check out the latest updates and behind-the-scenes content on Motorsport.com’s live commentary.
