Leclerc tops Norris in crash-hit second practice

TDT | Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Charles Leclerc topped the times for Ferrari ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris

on Friday in a crash-hit second practice session for this week- end’s season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

World champion Max Ver- stappen was unable to improve on third as he wound up 0.173 seconds adrift of the Mone- gasque driver who outpaced Norris by only 0.043 seconds.

The action was reduced se- verely by two red flag interrup- tions following crashes by Le- clerc’s teammate Carlos Sainz and Nico Hulkenberg of Haas.

Red Bull Racing’s Dutch driver Max Verstappen drives during the second practice session for the Abu Dhabi Formula One Grand Prix at the Yas Marina Circuit in the Emirati city

been caught in “dirty air” from another car as the session was red flagged after only nine min- utes.

The action resumed after a further 27 minutes, a long enough period for the sun to set and for the floodlights to be re- quired. For Sainz, it was a reprise of his woe in Las Vegas as his car was returned to the Ferrari garage, but noteworthy too as it came after a field including 10 rookies had run in first practice without mishap.

When the session restarted, it was for only 90 seconds as Hulkenberg lost control at Turn One and spun into the barriers.

“Lost it. Exit of Turn One,” he told the Haas team as a second red flag brought the action to a halt. The session resumed, again, after a further nine minutes, with the cars battling for space in the pit-lane exit, creating frus- tration and annoyance.

In one incident, Verstappen was seen almost colliding with Hamilton as he attempted to force his way past him in the narrow tunnel.

With 12 minutes remaining, Norris was first to set a lap time. He was soon outpaced by Pi- astri, Bottas and then Leclerc

in 1:24.809, as the drivers fa- miliarised themselves with the conditions.

“The car is jumping like a kangaroo,” said Verstappen who was in 11th, two places ahead of Red Bull team-mate Perez, before many drivers including the champion began switching from medium-compound tyres to softs. On his first ‘softs’ run, Verstappen rose to third be- hind Leclerc and Norris, raising hopes of some real competition for Red Bull this weekend as the 26-year-old Dutchman seeks to claim a record-increasing 19th win of the season.