McLaren’s Lando Norris narrowly outpaced Max Verstappen in a Practice One session that delivered a competitive start to the Spanish Grand Prix weekend.
On a weekend billed as a litmus test of the chasing pack’s recent gains against Red Bull around a circuit where the championship-leading RB20 should excel, it was McLaren who set the opening pace around the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, albeit only just with Norris finishing 0.024s clear of Verstappen.
While the leading two set their best times on the theoretically quicker soft-compound tyres, Ferrari and Mercedes’ drivers set theirs on the slower mediums.
Spain’s own Carlos Sainz was therefore in the mix himself in third place, finishing just 0.344s on the slower compound, with George Russell fourth in the first of the Mercedes ahead of the soft-shod Red Bull of Sergio Perez.
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Yuki Tsunoda avoids hitting George Russell during the first practice session at the Spanish Grand Prix
Lewis Hamilton was seventh quickest in the other Mercedes.
Ferrari and Red Bull debuted their respective latest round of car upgrades in the opening session, with the Italian outfit’s package featuring seven new items as they bid to bounce back from their wretched and point-less Canadian GP last time out.
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Debris from Fernando Alonso’s car brings out the first red flag at the Spanish Grand Prix
The opening session was briefly red-flagged when a part flew off the front wing of Fernando Alonso’s Aston Martin and dropped on to the track. After repairs to his car, Alonso finished ninth quickest as he begins his 21st home GP weekend in F1.
More to follow…
Spanish GP Practice One Timesheet
Driver
Team
Time
1) Lando Norris
McLaren
1:14.228
2) Max Verstappen
Red Bull
+0.024
3) Carlos Sainz
Ferrari
+0.334
4) George Russell
Mercedes
+0.386
5) Sergio Perez
Red Bull
+0.464
6) Oscar Piastri
McLaren
+0.639
7) Lewis Hamilton
Mercedes
+0.683
8) Esteban Ocon
Alpine
+0.858
9) Fernando Alonso
Aston Martin
+0.994
10) Alex Albon
Williams
+1.189
11) Charles Leclerc
Ferrari
+1.206
12) Valtteri Bottas
Sauber
+1.244
13) Pierre Gasly
Alpine
+1.256
14) Lance Stroll
Aston Martin
+1.284
15) Daniel Ricciardo
RB
+1.352
16) Zhou Guanyu
Sauber
+1.388
17) Kevin Magnussen
Haas
+1.416
18) Logan Sargeant
Williams
+1.524
19) Oliver Bearman
Haas
+1.637
20) Yuki Tsunoda
RB
+1.688
Sky Sports F1’s live Spanish GP schedule
Friday June 21
1.55pm: F3 Qualifying
2.50pm: F2 Qualifying
3.35pm: Spanish GP Practice Two (session starts at 4pm)
5.25pm: F1 Academy Qualifying
6.15pm: The F1 Show
Saturday June 22
9.35am: F3 Sprint
11.15am: Spanish GP Practice Three (session starts at 11.30am)
1.10pm: F2 Sprint
2.10pm: Spanish GP Qualifying build-up
3pm: Spanish GP Qualifying
5pm: F1 Academy Race 1
Sunday June 23
7.45am: F1 Academy Race 2
9am: F3 Feature Race
10.30am: F2 Feature Race
12:30pm: Grand Prix Sunday: Spanish GP build-up
2pm: The SPANISH GRAND PRIX
4pm: Chequered Flag: Spanish GP reaction
Formula 1 heads back to Europe as the championship moves on to Barcelona for the Spanish Grand Prix and the start of a triple-header. Watch every session at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya this weekend, live on Sky Sports F1. Stream every F1 race and more with a NOW Sports Month Membership – No contract, cancel anytime