Barcelona, Spain — Lando Norris kicked off the Formula 1 weekend with a commanding performance during the opening practice session, clocking a time of 1 minute 15.259 seconds. This placed the McLaren driver ahead of local favorite Fernando Alonso, who trails by 0.221 seconds. Alonso, driving for Aston Martin, last celebrated a victory at the memorable Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in 2013.
As the session progressed, teams diligently gathered data, with many drivers racking up laps and fine-tuning their setups. George Russell from Mercedes was one of the first to switch to the medium C2 compound tires, where he quickly elevated his position to set the fastest lap of the session at the halfway mark, posting a time of 1 minute 14.751 seconds.
Nico Hulkenberg capitalized on the performance of the softer C3 tire, becoming the first driver to test its limits during the session. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen followed suit but briefly held the top spot before Norris reclaimed it with an impressive time of 1 minute 13.718 seconds, showcasing the ongoing competition and skill across the track.
The closing third of the session witnessed a notable shuffle within the top ten, highlighted by rookie sensations like Lawson and Isack Hadjar of the Racing Bulls team, both of whom earned points in their last outing in Monaco. Meanwhile, Haas driver Ollie Bearman made a bid for his first points of the season, after a strong showing in Bahrain.
Tension built as teams utilized this session for crucial setup work, taking advantage of the warm weather and favorable track conditions. Teams sought to identify the optimal tire strategies ahead of the race, assessing how the softer compounds performed under various conditions.
With the weekend officially underway, the anticipation is palpable as drivers continue to push the limits. The upcoming sessions promise to refine strategies and establish pecking orders among competitors ahead of the key qualifying rounds and, ultimately, the race day excitement. As teams and fans look ahead, this early performance sets the stage for an exhilarating Grand Prix.
