ABU DHABI: Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc topped the first practice session at Yas Marina Circuit ahead of Sunday’s Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, but later received a 10-place grid penalty for the race.
The Monegasque driver recorded a time of 1:24.321 with McLaren’s Lando Norris 0.221 seconds adrift. Lewis Hamilton, in his last F1 weekend with Mercedes before his move to Ferrari next season, was third fastest.
The penalty decision came minutes after the session ended and put a dent in Ferrari’s hopes of taking this year’s Constructors’ Championship. They currently lie second in the standings, 21 points behind McLaren, with 44 points up for grabs.
Six teams put rookies in one of their cars for the weekend’s first practice session. They were Ryo Hirakawa (McLaren), Arthur Leclerc (Ferrari), Isack Hadjar (Red Bull), Felipe Drugovich (Aston Martin), Ayumu Iwasa (RB) and Luke Browning (Williams).
In the second practice session, Norris led his teammate Oscar Piastri to finish 1-2, with a time of 1:23:517. Nico Hulkenberg came third for Haas.
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Leclerc handed 10-place penalty for Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
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Leclerc handed 10-place penalty for Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
- The Monegasque topped first practice but was penalized after Ferrari fitted a new battery pack to his car
- The penalty decision came minutes after the session ended
German football federation rules out World Cup boycott despite calls to oppose Trump
The German football federation has ruled out a boycott of the World Cup despite calls from within to send a message to US President Donald Trump.
“We believe in the unifying power of sport and the global impact that a FIFA World Cup can have, the federation said in a statement issued late Friday. “Our goal is to strengthen this positive force — not to prevent it.”
The federation, known as the DFB, said its executive committee met and discussed the option of a boycott of the tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico, a consideration first proposed last week by DFB vice president Oke Göttlich.
Göttlich, who is also the president of Bundesliga club St. Pauli, referred to Trump’s recent actions and statements and said it was time to “seriously consider” a boycott.
In what appears to be a public rebuke to Göttlich, however, the DFB said “debates on sports policy should be conducted internally and not in public.”
The DFB said a boycott “is not currently under consideration. The DFB is in contact with representatives from politics, security, business, and sports in preparation for the tournament” from June 11-July 19.
Trump has sowed discord in Europe with his takeover bid for Greenland and threats to impose tariffs on European countries that opposed it, while US actions in Venezuela and at home in dealing with protests in American cities have also raised alarm.
Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter last week advised fans to stay away from the tournament.
Fans already had concerns about high ticket prices, while travel bans imposed by the Trump administration could also prohibit supporters from some competing nations from attending.
Germany’s team, at least, will be there.
“We want to compete fairly against the other qualified teams next summer,” the DFB said. “And we want fans worldwide to celebrate a peaceful festival of football in the stadiums and at fan zones — just as we experienced at the 2024 European Championship in our own country.”
“We believe in the unifying power of sport and the global impact that a FIFA World Cup can have, the federation said in a statement issued late Friday. “Our goal is to strengthen this positive force — not to prevent it.”
The federation, known as the DFB, said its executive committee met and discussed the option of a boycott of the tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico, a consideration first proposed last week by DFB vice president Oke Göttlich.
Göttlich, who is also the president of Bundesliga club St. Pauli, referred to Trump’s recent actions and statements and said it was time to “seriously consider” a boycott.
In what appears to be a public rebuke to Göttlich, however, the DFB said “debates on sports policy should be conducted internally and not in public.”
The DFB said a boycott “is not currently under consideration. The DFB is in contact with representatives from politics, security, business, and sports in preparation for the tournament” from June 11-July 19.
Trump has sowed discord in Europe with his takeover bid for Greenland and threats to impose tariffs on European countries that opposed it, while US actions in Venezuela and at home in dealing with protests in American cities have also raised alarm.
Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter last week advised fans to stay away from the tournament.
Fans already had concerns about high ticket prices, while travel bans imposed by the Trump administration could also prohibit supporters from some competing nations from attending.
Germany’s team, at least, will be there.
“We want to compete fairly against the other qualified teams next summer,” the DFB said. “And we want fans worldwide to celebrate a peaceful festival of football in the stadiums and at fan zones — just as we experienced at the 2024 European Championship in our own country.”
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