Russell tops FP1 in Spain

George Russell set the tone for the Barcelona‑Catalunya weekend, ending a lively and incident‑filled Free Practice 1 on top as seven rookie drivers took part under F1’s mandatory young‑driver running. His 1:16.363 stood unchallenged, with Oscar Piastri and Charles Leclerc completing the top three.

Russell’s early pace on mediums already looked strong, but his soft‑tyre lap midway through the session underlined Mercedes’ intent. Behind him, Piastri impressed despite brake vibrations he could only address before FP2, while Leclerc showed competitive speed even after a wide moment at Turn 10. The session was shaped by rookie appearances, off‑track moments and balance struggles across the field.

Russell sets the benchmark

Russell was the first to break into the 1m17s on mediums before delivering a commanding soft‑tyre lap that put him comfortably clear of the field. Piastri remained his closest challenger, just over two tenths behind, though the Australian repeatedly reported brake vibrations. Leclerc slotted into third, his Ferrari showing promising one‑lap pace despite a brief excursion at Turn 10.

Rookies steal the spotlight

With seven rookies stepping in, the session delivered a mix of standout performances and frustration. Leonardo Fornaroli shone with P5 in Lando Norris’ McLaren, while Paul Aron put Nico Hülkenberg’s Audi in P6. Dino Beganovic, driving Hamilton’s Ferrari, also finished inside the top 10. Arvid Lindblad and Franco Colapinto joined him in the upper half of the order. Not everyone enjoyed smooth running: Luke Browning never left the garage due to an electrical issue on Albon’s Williams, and Colton Herta clipped the gravel at Turn 7/8 during his Cadillac debut.

Off‑track moments and balance issues

Several drivers struggled for grip as temperatures rose. Vesti locked up into Turn 1 and ran wide, Leclerc slid off at Turn 10, and Verstappen , who briefly topped the times on softs, complained that he “didn’t know what to make of” the Red Bull’s balance. Gabriel Bortoleto also found the gravel at Turn 7, calling his Audi “unstable” before rejoining.