The final Friday practice sessions of the season gave us a small hint of the potential pecking order for the rest of the weekend.
Photo: Andy Hone
In FP1 we saw as many as nine rookies, including Formula 2 stars and even FIA WEC driver and endurance world champion Ryo Hirakawa, who can’t really be considered a rookie.
The fastest time was set by championship leader Lando Norris, just eight thousandths of a second ahead of Max Verstappen. This track should suit McLaren, which was evident both in their one-lap pace and on the long runs. Red Bull is losing a little, but we know how well they can improve the car overnight.
Oscar Piastri was slightly off Norris’s pace, but it’s worth noting he only drove in FP2. In FP1 he was replaced by Patricio O’Ward. Moreover, according to several reports, McLaren plans to separate its garages so that no information can be shared. This would also apply to the debriefings, which are expected to be split.
Meanwhile, Zak Brown stated that if the situation requires it, they are prepared to implement team orders.
In FP2 it was once again Lando Norris who topped the timesheets, ahead of Max Verstappen. Third fastest was George Russell. Mercedes’ single-lap pace looks fairly solid, but their long-run pace is not quite as strong. As for Ferrari, they are losing a bit more, and we shouldn’t expect them to fight for podium positions.