The 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend kicked off with a thrilling opening practice session dominated by Charles Leclerc before he was slapped with a devastating grid penalty.
The session, held at the Yas Marina Circuit, was pivotal for both Leclerc and his team, Ferrari, as they aimed to close the gap in the Constructors’ Championship against McLaren.
However, the excitement of setting the fastest time to start off the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend was soon overshadowed by the announcement of a 10-place grid penalty for Charles Leclerc due to a battery change, complicating Ferrari’s championship aspirations.
The practice session began under relatively calm conditions, with teams eager to gather data and optimize their setups for the race.
However, Leclerc’s day started on a sour note as he was forced to remain in the garage for the first half of the session due to a battery issue with his SF-24 car. The delay lasted approximately 25 minutes as Ferrari’s mechanics worked diligently to resolve the problem.
Meanwhile, other drivers like George Russell and Lewis Hamilton took advantage of the track time, with Russell initially setting a competitive pace.
As soon as Charles Leclerc was able to join other F1 drivers on track, he quickly demonstrated his speed and skill. Once fitted with soft compound tyres, he began to find his rhythm gradually improving his lap times.
After several laps to acclimatize himself following his extended stay in the pits, Leclerc unleashed a blistering lap of 1:24.321, which not only placed him at the top of the timesheets but also highlighted his potential to challenge for pole position at the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
McLaren’s Lando Norris was Leclerc’s closest rival during FP1. The British driver had been quick out of the blocks and managed to set an impressive time of 1:24.542 before Leclerc eclipsed it.
Norris’ good form underscored McLaren’s determination to secure their first Constructors’ Championship since 1998, as they entered the final race weekend with a 21-point lead over Ferrari.
Lewis Hamilton, in what is expected to be his last race weekend with Mercedes before joining Ferrari next season finished third overall indicating that he remains a formidable competitor despite ongoing team changes.
The seven-time world champion was closely followed by his teammate George Russell in fourth and Alpine’s Pierre Gasly in fifth, both of whom displayed solid pace and consistency.
Nico Hülkenberg secured sixth place for Haas, while Williams’ Franco Colapinto followed closely behind in seventh. Kevin Magnussen also performed well in eighth position, with Sergio Perez rounding out the top ten for Red Bull.
Meanwhile, Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso struggled, finishing outside the top ten and expressing dissatisfaction with his car’s performance.
While established drivers were contending for top positions, the opening practice for the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix also served as a platform for several rookies who were given their chance to shine.
Six teams opted to field young drivers in place of their regulars, adhering to regulations that require teams to provide track time for inexperienced drivers.
Notably, Charles Leclerc’s brother, Arthur Leclerc made history by becoming one half of the first sibling duo to compete in an F1 practice session together driving in place of Carlos Sainz.
Arthur’s participation added a personal touch to the event and drew attention from fans and media alike. He managed to set a respectable time of 1:27.597 but found himself down the order compared to more experienced drivers.
Felipe Drugovich—standing in for Lance Stroll—impressed by finishing ninth overall with a time that was just over a second slower than Leclerc’s best lap.
Other rookies included Ryo Hirakawa substituted for Oscar Piastri at McLaren, Isack Hadjar took over from Max Verstappen at Red Bull, Ayumu Iwasa replaced Yuki Tsunoda at RB, and Luke Browning filled in for Alex Albon at Williams.
Additionally, Hadjar struggled during his outing as he reported issues with wheel clearance on his Red Bull car and spun out at Turn 6 after expressing concerns about his legroom within the cockpit.
The unique circumstances of the session—with several regular drivers absent—will provide an intriguing backdrop as teams analyze data ahead of FP2, qualifying and the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix race.
