Overview
- Lando Norris holds a 12-point lead over Max Verstappen, with Oscar Piastri four further back, and a podium on Sunday would secure the championship.
- Zak Brown said McLaren will issue team orders if needed and expressed no doubt his drivers will comply, as both teams pledged a clean fight.
- Norris topped both Friday sessions at Yas Marina, while Piastri was 11th in FP2 after missing FP1 for a rookie outing and reporting balance issues.
- Red Bull highlighted understeer and higher tyre degradation, with Verstappen conceding, “I don’t think we’re quick enough,” and Helmut Marko noting setup changes fell short.
- Brown dismissed an Australian senator’s claim of bias against Piastri as uninformed and reaffirmed McLaren’s commitment to equal opportunity.