Why Oscar Piastri must sit out FP1 in crucial Abu Dhabi title decider

Oscar Piastri will miss first practice for the 2025 F1 title decider at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

He will head into qualifying on Saturday with one fewer hour of practice compared to Lando Norris and Max Verstappen.

Norris sits top of the drivers’ championship, 12 points ahead of Verstappen.

The Brit can afford to finish third at the Yas Marina Circuit to become McLaren’s first world champion since 2008.

Verstappen will need to win the race, with Norris finishing fourth, to add a fifth world title to his CV.

For Piastri, he must win the race and hope Norris finishes sixth or lower.

His task will be made harder by the fact he will sit out FP1.

As per F1’s regulations, all non-rookie drivers must give up their car for at least two practice sessions during the year.

Pato O’Ward will take over Piastri’s McLaren for FP1 in Abu Dhabi.

Norris has already sat out two FP1 sessions — missing Austria and Mexico.

The British driver managed to win both of those races despite missing FP1, so Piastri shouldn’t be too hampered by the lack of practice.

Will it cost Piastri?

Missing FP1 should put Piastri on the back foot, initially at least.

However, with first practice taking place in unrepresentative conditions, it is not the end of the world.

With Piastri 16 points off the lead, the pressure is not on him.

The focus will be on Norris, and whether he can resist Verstappen in the finale.

Norris should have had the title wrapped up already, had it not been for his disqualification in Las Vegas for excessive plank wear.

Both McLaren drivers were let down in Qatar as the team elected not to stop them under the Safety Car.

This handed the Qatar GP victory to Verstappen, keeping him in realistic title contention.

In terms of FP1, it will be another chance for O’Ward to impress.

O’Ward replaced Norris at the Mexico City Grand Prix.

“I better understand what the car likes now,” O’Ward reflected. “Every car prefers a certain style, or a different way of bringing it into the window, the little details, and when you are learning a new car, you are trying to perfect these skills. During this learning process, you don’t know what will work, so you are exploring all of the time. I think I have a very good understanding of what it likes and enjoys.

“Once you know, it’s making sure you can robotically follow this every time, which is tricky when you aren’t in the car for long. The simulator can give you a good idea, but it can’t come close to the feelings you actually get when you are in a car.

“I try not to think about it when I’m in the car, I try to let my body remind itself.”