Russell tops FP1 in Barcelona as seven rookies take part

Written by Jason Sharp 

Credit: Formula One

Formula One returns to the familiar Circuit De Barcelona-Catalunya for Round 7 of the World Championship. 

It was George Russell who topped the time sheet in FP1 with a 1:16.363, 0.203 seconds ahead of Oscar Piastri in P2 while Charles Leclerc finished P3. 

This is an important weekend for Russell after two consecutive non-scoring weekends while his championship rival and teammate, Kimi Antonelli, has now won five races in a row.

But how the teammates compare will have to wait, as Mercedes were one of seven teams to run their mandated rookie running obligations, along with Ferrari, McLaren, Red Bull, Williams, Audi and Cadillac. 

This made for a pleasantly different running order; behind Max Verstappen in P4 was Formula 3 and Formula 2 champion Leonardo Fornaroli for McLaren, ahead of Paul Aron with a stellar performance in P6 for Audi. The Estonian driver finished ahead of full-time Audi driver Gabriel Bortoleto and was just 0.958 seconds behind Russell. 

The Racing Bulls continue to look quick after their double points finish in Monaco. Liam Lawson was P7 ahead of Swedish driver Dino Beganovic making a third FP1 appearance in Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari. 

The second Racing Bull of Arvid Lindblad was P9 ahead of Franco Colapinto in P10 for Alpine. Fresh from the podium reinstatement from Monaco, the second Alpine of Pierre Gasly had a difficult session in P17, ending prematurely in the closing moments due to a suspected suspension issue. 

Japanese driver Ayumu Iwasa finished P14 in Isack Hadjar’s Red Bull while Frederik Vesti could only manage P15 in Antonelli’s Mercedes, focusing on long-runs. Colton Herta had a difficult session for Cadillac in P21, having a noteworthy snap going through Turn 8. 

Credit: Formula One

It was a major disappointment for the final rookie, Luke Browning, who was unable to take part due to a technical problem with his Williams. It was a difficult session for the Grove based team, as Carlos Sainz’ running was also delayed due to a steering wheel malfunction. 

The home hero eventually finished P13, and his fellow Spaniard, Fernando Alonso was P19 in what the two-time World Champion says is likely to be his final Formula One race at this circuit.  

Looking ahead

With the rookie obligations fulfilled, the seven missing drivers from FP1 will return to usual business in FP2. This is a track that they all know incredibly well from frequent testing outings, so they will not be too compromised. After FP2, will have a better gauge on what the true pace of the teams and drivers are this weekend.