Lando Norris sends clear message after seizing control of F1 title showdown

Lando Norris is adamant he has "nothing to smile about just yet" at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, despite topping both of Friday's free practice sessions.

The McLaren driver heads into Sunday's season finale atop the F1 drivers' standings as he looks to clinch his first championship.

He leads Max Verstappen by 12 points and Oscar Piastri by 16, after a campaign-long title battle with his team-mate that has been disrupted by the insurgent outlier from Red Bull, who has clawed his way back into the fight with a superb year-ending run of form.

Despite that, it is Norris who holds the upper hand early in the weekend at the Yas Marina Circuit, having beaten the Dutchman by eight-thousandths of a second in FP1.

He extended that advantage in the second hour of running, again topping the four-time F1 drivers' champion in FP2, but this time by over three-and-a-half-tenths.

"Obviously, from the times and everything, things are good at the minute, but I still want a bit more from the car — not completely happy or completely confident," the British driver said when reflecting on the day.

"We're a bit in the middle of trying some different things and then trying to understand some things with the car, so hopefully some more stuff we can get out of it overnight."

Norris' fate is completely in his hands, with a third-place finish enough to take the title, regardless of where Verstappen or Piastri cross the line.

Nonetheless, the 11-time grand prix winner was quick to point out that nothing is guaranteed, and that there is a lot of work still to be done if he is to clinch his maiden crown.

"It's not been a bad day, for sure. It's been a positive day," the 26-year-old added

"But we always know it gets a lot closer going into qualifying, so nothing to smile about just yet."