Lando Norris' practice pace shows he's driver to beat in Formula 1 title decider

The Formula 1 title fight is Lando Norris' to lose, and he doesn't look like losing.

The British driver went fastest in both of Friday's practice sessions as he laid down a marker ahead of the three-way title decider at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Norris beat title rival Max Verstappen by just .008 of a second in the first session and stretched that gap over the Red Bull driver to .363 in the second, which was more representative of the day-night conditions for Sunday's race.

The only way Norris can lose the title is if he finishes the race outside the top three. Norris leads Verstappen by 12 points and teammate Oscar Piastri by 16.

Norris and Piastri are each looking to win their first title and Verstappen is aiming for his fifth in a row.

“Of course, I have the most to lose because I am the one at the top,” Norris said Thursday. “I’ll do my best to stay there till the end of the year, a few more days. At the same time, if it doesn’t go my way, then I'll try again next year. It’ll hurt probably for a little while, but that’s life.”

Piastri skipped the first session and was only 11th in the second, .680 off Norris' time, and the Australian is yet to show much competitive pace.

Norris has denied he'll ask Piastri to help out to at least ensure one McLaren driver becomes champion if it seems Verstappen will take the title.

McLaren CEO Zak Brown has opened the door to team orders, but if Norris has the sort of pace he showed Friday, they won't be necessary.

Verstappen’s chances were revived when McLaren botched a strategy call in Qatar, one race after Norris and Piastri were disqualified in Las Vegas.

The one contender who's been in a final-race decider before, Verstappen said he's “just enjoying being here” in a season when his title defense often seemed impossible.

“I have four of those at home, so it’s nice to add a fifth,” he said Thursday, looking at the trophy standing next to him.

“I’ve already achieved everything that I wanted to achieve in F1 and everything is just a bonus. I just keep doing it because I love it and I enjoy it and that’s also how I go into this weekend. Have a good time out there, try to maximize the result.”

Verstappen was 104 points off the lead at one stage, and wrote his chances off again when he wasn't competitive in qualifying for the Brazilian Grand Prix, three races ago.

“It’s probably fair to say that the world discovered an even more extraordinary Max this season,” team principal Laurent Mekies said Friday. “A bit because of the magnitude of the comeback. A bit because he has been so relaxed.”

Piastri had a 34-point lead in August and seemed on target to become the first Australian champion in 45 years. He hasn't won in eight races since.

He showed good pace to take second spot in Qatar last week, though he was left “speechless” after a race dominated by McLaren's wrong strategy call.

“Obviously, I need a fair few things to happen this weekend to come out champion," he said, "but I’ll just make sure I’m in the right place at the right time and see what happens.”

AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands gets ready for the first practice for the he Abu Dhabi Formula One Grand Prix in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)

McLaren driver Lando Norris of Britain in action during a first practice for the he Abu Dhabi Formula One Grand Prix in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Fatima Shbair)

McLaren driver Lando Norris of Britain gets ready for the first practice for the he Abu Dhabi Formula One Grand Prix in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands walks through the paddock at the Yas Marina Circuit ahead of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)

McLaren driver Oscar Piastri of Australia arrives for the first practice for the he Abu Dhabi Formula One Grand Prix in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)

McLaren driver Lando Norris of Britain walks through the paddock at the Yas Marina Circuit ahead of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn, the dean of South Carolina’s Democrats, said Thursday that he will run for an 18th House term, a move that could position him as an influential elder statesman in Congress if his party regains the majority in November.

The decision by the 85-year-old lawmaker cuts against calls for generational change within the party. Clyburn is one of several veteran Democrats running again instead of stepping aside for younger politicians whose frustration increased in the wake of President Joe Biden's failed reelection campaign.

“I’m here today to say I do believe that I’m very well equipped and healthy enough to move into the next term, trying to do the things that are necessary to continue that pursuit of perfection," Clyburn said at state party headquarters in Columbia. “And so I will run a very vigorous campaign.”

Clyburn is among the oldest Democrats serving in Washington, and the only member of the last Democratic leadership team who is looking to stick around. Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California and former Majority Leader Steny Hoyer of Maryland both plan to retire at the end of their current terms.

Clyburn said that he sought counsel from his three daughters before making his announcement. One of them — Mignon Clyburn, a former member of the Federal Communications Commission — said she was concerned about the political vitriol that her father would face in Washington.

“Her interest was in her daddy and what she thought I might be subjected to,” Clyburn said. “When Mignon finally had decided that she could live with it, I’m here."

Clyburn said he heard from another woman that "'we don’t listen to them people up there, and you should not. You should listen to the people down here, and we don’t want you to leave.’ And so I’m responding to the people that are here.”

Clyburn served as majority whip and assistant Democratic leader. Remaining in Congress for another term could give him a chance to serve alongside the first Black speaker of the House as Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York is in line for the gavel should Democrats win control. Clyburn for many years was the highest-ranking Black lawmaker in the House.

On Thursday, asked about the prospect of being able to advise Jeffries, Clyburn said the two spoke recently about a possible working relationship in the next Congress.

“He expressed an interest in my being a part of his leadership, if we were to take the House back," Clyburn said. “It made me feel necessary.”

Four years ago, when Clyburn announced his bid for a 16th term, he told The Associated Press that he intended to keep campaigning as long as his health and support from his family remained stalwart.

“I’ve told them, if you ever see that I need to go to the rocking chair or spend my spare time on the golf course, let me know,” he said describing his daughters' counsel.

Clyburn won his 2024 reelection by more than 20 percentage points. First elected in 1992, he represents the district that sweeps from areas around the capital of Columbia through rural central and eastern counties down to Charleston.

Should he serve an 18th term, Clyburn would become the longest-serving South Carolinian ever in the U.S. House. Time horizons are longer for the state’s U.S. senators, two of whom — Republican Strom Thurmond and Democrat Fritz Hollings — served 48 years and nearly 39 years, respectively.

Filing for election in this year’s elections in South Carolina opens Monday and closes March 30. South Carolina’s primary elections will be held June 9.

Whenever Clyburn does leave office, the competition to be his successor will be fierce. He is the only Democrat representing his state in Washington.

As to whether his 18th term could be his last, Clyburn called that an “open question.”

“I’m looking forward to the day that I can spend more time reading, writing and playing golf, and so this could very well be to my last term,” he said. “And it could very well not be.”

Meg Kinnard can be reached at http://x.com/MegKinnardAP

Former President Joe Biden embraces Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-S.C., before speaking to the South Carolina Democratic Party on Friday, Feb. 27, 2026, in Columbia, S.C. (AP Photo/Matt Kelley)

Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-S.C., speaks ahead of former President Joe Biden, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026, in Columbia, S.C. (AP Photo/Matt Kelley)