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Norris Sets the Pace in Spanish Grand Prix Free Practice 1
Norris Tops the Timesheets
McLaren’s Lando Norris led the field in Friday’s opening practice session for the Spanish Grand Prix. He was narrowly faster than Red Bull’s triple world champion Max Verstappen at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. Norris set a fastest lap time of 1:14.228 on soft tires. This was just 0.024 seconds quicker than Verstappen, who experienced clutch issues causing his car to go into anti-stall.
Sainz Impresses at Home
Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz posted the third fastest time on medium tires. This session marked the beginning of a critical three-race European stint for Sainz starting at home. The Spaniard debuted Ferrari’s new upgrade package at his final home race for the Italian team.
Pérez and Russell in the Mix
Verstappen’s teammate Sergio Pérez, facing a three-place grid penalty from Canada, clocked the fifth fastest time. He was behind Mercedes’ George Russell and McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, who secured fourth and sixth respectively. Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton finished seventh for Mercedes.
Ferrari’s Upgrades Under Scrutiny
While McLaren brought no significant upgrades to their car, Ferrari introduced seven new components, including modifications to the floor and diffuser. Despite this, Charles Leclerc struggled, finishing 11th and reporting clutch issues in the final 10 minutes. Leclerc was outpaced by Alpine’s Esteban Ocon, Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso, and Williams’ Alex Albon, who rounded out the top 10.
Bearman Steps Up for Haas
Promising British driver Oliver Bearman filled in for Nico Hülkenberg at Haas. Bearman completed 29 laps and ending the session 19th, just behind teammate Kevin Magnussen in 17th.
Close Call on Track
The session faced a brief halt 22 minutes before the end. The cause was when Alonso’s car shed part of its front wing at turn nine.
Additionally, the session saw a close call between Russell and Red Bull’s Yuki Tsunoda, with Tsunoda narrowly avoiding a collision with the rear of Russell’s Mercedes.
Full results of free practice 1 here.
Moving Forward
As the teams head into the weekend, all eyes will be on how the upgrades and adjustments pan out in the upcoming practice sessions and the crucial qualifying rounds.
