Image: from Sofia Siriatou X@sophia_wrc
By José Carlos Palma
The first free practice session of the 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix delivered a blend of season-ending atmosphere and fresh energy. Nine rookies took part to meet Formula 1’s annual requirement, creating a mix of experimentation, evaluation work and special moments on track.
Lando Norris topped the session with a 1:24.485, keeping McLaren at the front and showing strong pace from the start. Max Verstappen followed just eight thousandths behind, with Charles Leclerc close in third. Kimi Antonelli in fourth and Nico Hülkenberg in fifth completed a top five that mixed established names with a rising Mercedes protégé.
Among the rookies, Ryō Hirakawa stood out with P11, handling traffic well and adapting quickly to the Haas. Gabriel Bortoleto impressed again, placing Sauber seventh and reinforcing his competitive pace.
The session, however, was defined by more than lap times. Pato O’Ward completed his fifth FP1 for McLaren. Arthur and Charles Leclerc shared the track in a symbolic moment for Ferrari. Arvid Lindblad took part in his final Red Bull FP1 before the upcoming 2026 transition. Luke Browning continued his development program with Williams. Aston Martin fielded an all-rookie duo with Jak Crawford and Cian Shields, signalling a deep testing phase aimed at the future.
Full FP1 Results – 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
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Lando Norris (McLaren/Mercedes), 1:24.485 – 28 laps
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Max Verstappen (Red Bull/Honda RBPT), 1:24.493 – 30
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Charles Leclerc (Ferrari), 1:24.501 – 28
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Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes), 1:24.608 – 30
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Nico Hülkenberg (Sauber/Ferrari), 1:24.629 – 28
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George Russell (Mercedes), 1:24.733 – 29
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Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber/Ferrari), 1:24.742 – 29
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Oliver Bearman (Haas/Ferrari), 1:24.759 – 14
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Carlos Sainz (Williams/Mercedes), 1:24.771 – 27
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Franco Colapinto (Alpine/Renault), 1:24.855 – 28
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Ryō Hirakawa (Haas/Ferrari), 1:24.934 – 28
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Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls/Honda RBPT), 1:24.977 – 31
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Paul Aron (Alpine/Renault), 1:25.204 – 27
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Patricio O’Ward (McLaren/Mercedes), 1:25.246 – 28
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Arvid Lindblad (Red Bull/Honda RBPT), 1:25.256 – 26
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Arthur Leclerc (Ferrari), 1:25.360 – 27
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Ayumu Iwasa (Racing Bulls/Honda RBPT), 1:25.475 – 30
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Luke Browning (Williams/Mercedes), 1:25.490 – 18
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Jak Crawford (Aston Martin/Mercedes), 1:25.889 – 24
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Cian Shields (Aston Martin/Mercedes), 1:26.432 – 22
The session officially opened the Abu Dhabi weekend with clear indications of a tightly contested finale. The blend of experience and emerging talent shaped the narrative and underscored how quickly Formula 1’s landscape continues to evolve.