HIGHLIGHTS: Watch the action as Norris sets the pace over Verstappen in Abu Dhabi FP1

Lando Norris started the weekend as he meant to go on, narrowly taking first place over Max Verstappen in FP1 for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, with Ferrari's Charles Leclerc close behind in third.

The McLaren driver, who needs to finish on the podium in Sunday's race to ensure that he secures his maiden Drivers' Championship, went fastest with a time of 1m 24.485s on a set of soft tyres, just 0.008s ahead of Verstappen and 0.016s clear of Leclerc.

FP1 was the least representative running of the weekend due to the temperature and track conditions, but it nevertheless offered valuable learnings, especially with several drivers finding the run-off areas throughout the hour. The third-placed Monegasque racer had the biggest moment of the session, managing to avoid the barriers after a big spin at Turn 5.

Nearly half the field were replaced by rookies, including title contender Oscar Piastri, who gave up his seat for Pato O'Ward. Other drivers invited to participate included Arvid Lindblad, who will take Isack Hadjar's seat at Racing Bulls in 2026 as the French racer steps up to Red Bull.

None of them broke into the top 10, with Haas' experienced reserve driver Ryo Hirakawa coming closest in P11, two-tenths off Ollie Bearman who struggled with hydraulic issues.

Click go on the video player above to catch up on the action from FP1 in Abu Dhabi.