Abu Dhabi-Ferrari suffered a major blow to its hopes of winning the Formula One constructors’ title for the first time since 2008 when Charles Leclerc received a 10-place resting penalty on Friday.
Leclerc had led the fastest lap in the first practice session at Yas Marina, but Ferrari then announced he had changed his car’s battery, triggering an automatic penalty for breaching the regulations.
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Ferrari is 21 points behind leaders McLaren, the last champions in 1998, with 44 remaining on Sunday and third-placed Red Bull out of the races won.
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Leclerc posted a best time of one minute 24.321 seconds, with McLaren’s Lando Norris 0.221 slower and the Mercedes pair of seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton and George Russell third and fourth.
Alpine’s Pierre Gasly was fastest in fifth, with new Australian teammate Jack Doohan preparing for his first race as replacement for Esteban Ocon before finishing 19th.
Nico Hulkenberg was seventh with Williams’ Franco Colapinto for Haas sixth, against a grid with five spaces for gearbox changes. Colapinto’s teammate Alex Albon will face a similar penalty.
In a Formula 1 first, two brothers took to the track in the same session for the same team – Leclerc, accompanied by younger brother Arthur (18th) in the other Ferrari, normally driven by Spaniard Sainz.
Japan’s Ryo Hirakawa replaced Oscar Piastri in McLaren, Isack Hadjar drove Red Bull’s four-time champion Max Verstappen, and Felipe Drugovich was in Lance Stroll’s Aston Martin.
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