Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc set the pace during Friday’s practice at the Yas Marina Circuit, clocking a benchmark lap of 1:35.291 to edge out Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli by 0.042 seconds.
Leclerc dominates as Verstappen reports RB20 performance issues
While Leclerc dominated the timesheets, reigning world champion Max Verstappen finished third for Red Bull Racing, 0.189 seconds off the pace. The session saw several tense moments, including a black-and-white flag issued to Mercedes driver George Russell for forcing Leclerc off the track during a closely contested run. Verstappen expressed frustration with his RB20 over team radio, reporting high tyre degradation and poor low-speed performance. Lap times for both Verstappen and Russell saw brief deletions during the middle phase of testing due to track limits, temporarily dropping them down the order before they recovered to secure fifth and sixth respectively on initial timing screens.
Further down the garage, seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton struggled to keep his Ferrari planted on the tarmac, reporting handling issues over team radio despite running on his fourth set of tyres. Hamilton ultimately secured fourth place, 0.615 seconds behind his teammate’s leading time.
Full Practice Results
| Pos | Driver | Constructor | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1:35.291 |
| 2 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | +0.042 s |
| 3 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull Racing | +0.189 s |
| 4 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | +0.615 s |
| 5 | George Russell | Mercedes | +0.744 s |
| 6 | Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls | +1.040 s |
| 7 | Lando Norris | McLaren | +1.082 s |
| 8 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | +1.096 s |
| 9 | Isack Hadjar | Red Bull Racing | +1.120 s |
| 10 | Oliver Bearman | Haas F1 Team | +1.245 s |
| 11 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Audi | +1.541 s |
| 12 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | +1.549 s |
| 13 | Arvid Lindblad | Racing Bulls | +1.668 s |
| 14 | Esteban Ocon | Haas F1 Team | +1.820 s |
| 15 | Franco Colapinto | Alpine | +1.910 s |
| 16 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | +1.944 s |
| 17 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | +1.978 s |
| 18 | Nico Hülkenberg | Audi | +2.139 s |
| 19 | Valtteri Bottas | Cadillac | +3.131 s |
| 20 | Carlos Sainz | Williams | +3.155 s |
| 21 | Sergio Pérez | Cadillac | +3.745 s |
| 22 | Alexander Albon | Williams | +8.135 s |
Why Russell received a flag and Verstappen reported issues?
Why did George Russell receive a black-and-white flag during the practice session?
George Russell received the black-and-white flag after stewards judged that he had forced rival driver Charles Leclerc off the track during a heated on-track battle.
What specific handling issues did Max Verstappen report with his Red Bull car?
Max Verstappen reported high tyre degradation and poor vehicle performance specifically through low-speed corners during his long runs on soft compound tyres.
How large was the gap between Charles Leclerc and second-place Kimi Antonelli?
Charles Leclerc led Kimi Antonelli by a razor-thin margin of just 0.042 seconds at the conclusion of the session.
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