The seven-time world champion was the man of the hour as he went fastest at the Yas Marina Circuit, a great start to the weekend for the Mercedes PETRONAS AMG Formula One team.
Lewis Hamilton‘s best time of 1:26.633 around the circuit put him two-tenths clear of his team-mate George Russell, whilst Scuderia Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc took third.
Amongst the usual suspects, the first practice session welcomed a handful of rookie drivers, including Liam Lawson in for Max Verstappen at Oracle Red Bull Racing, who claimed fourth in the early minutes of the session, whilst Sergio Pérez slotted in fifth followed by Sebastian Vettel slotting into sixth.
Further changes in drivers included FIA Formula 2 champion, Felipe Drugovich debut in his maiden free practice session, run for the Silverstone-based team Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant Formula One Team, while Pato O’Ward did likewise for the McLaren F1 Team.
F1 promotion hopeful Logan Sargeant was in again for Williams Racing, while Jack Doohan built on his mileage from Mexico City for BWT Alpine F1 Team. Robert Shwartzman was back behind the wheel at Ferrari, Pietro Fittipaldi ventured out for Haas F1 Team and former Grand Prix racer Robert Kubica drove the C42 Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN.
Up-front, Hamilton held onto the pace with an average of 0.220s over second-placed Russell, who celebrated throughout the week after his first win in Brazil. Though the baking hot early afternoon conditions were largely unrepresentative due to the race taking place after sun-down, Mercedes still secured a perfect 1-2 for the first practice session.
The British duo were followed closely by Leclerc, Pérez, Lawson, Vettel, Shwartzman, McLaren’s Daniel Ricciardo, Alfa Romeo’s Valtteri Bottas and Williams’ Alexander Albon, the Thai driver rounding out the top ten.
Scuderia AlphaTauri’s Pierre Gasly, racing for the team for the final time this weekend before he moves to Alpine, was eleventh, just ahead of his 2023 team-mate Esteban Ocon, while his current team-mate Yuki Tsunoda was thirteenth ahead of Kubica and Sargeant. Sargeant had one moment on track when he spun at turn one, but the American was able to resume and earn himself another point towards his goal of securing a Superlicence so he can compete at the highest level next season.
Kevin Magnussen, the surprise pole sitter last weekend in Brazil, was only sixteenth this time around ahead of Haas reserve driver Fittipaldi, while NTT IndyCar Series star Pato O’Ward sat in for Lando Norris in the second McLaren, the Mexican placing eighteenth after an early scare saw him pit with a small mechanical issue, which luckily was quickly fixed. Formula 2 race winners Doohan and Drugovich brought up the rear of the field.