First Free Practice Report & Results 2024 Spanish F1 GP

Event: Spanish Grand Prix
Track: Catalunya Circuit

Weather: dry  28.2°C
Tarmac: dry  47.4°C
Humidity: 33%
Wind: 12.2 km/h South

Lando Norris Leads the Pack in Opening Practice at the 2024 Spanish Grand Prix

Round 10 of the 2024 Formula 1 season kicked off at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya with a thrilling first practice session that saw McLaren's Lando Norris set the pace. As Spain forms the first part of a triple-header, which includes Austria and Silverstone, all eyes were on the teams to see who would emerge strongest in the Catalonian heat.

Norris Tops the Timing Sheets

Lando Norris showcased impressive speed, topping the session with a stellar lap time, positioning McLaren ahead of Max Verstappen's Red Bull. The British driver expressed cautious optimism, noting that while the team expected to perform well, the competitive form of the other teams remained uncertain. Norris's time on the soft tyres was a clear statement of intent from McLaren.

Verstappen and Sainz Close Behind

Max Verstappen, despite experiencing some minor issues with his car's clutch system, managed to secure the second spot on the timing sheets. Carlos Sainz, driving for Ferrari, clocked the fastest time on medium tyres, underscoring Ferrari's potential despite not utilizing the soft compound.

Session Highlights and Incidents

The practice session was largely straightforward, with minimal interruptions. The only significant halt came when debris from Fernando Alonso's front wing necessitated a brief red flag. The session resumed quickly, allowing drivers to continue their runs without major disruptions. Conditions were perfect for driving, with warm temperatures and a dry track, providing an ideal environment for teams to gather valuable data.

Mixed Fortunes for Alpine and Mercedes

Alpine's Esteban Ocon made it into the top 10, a promising sign for the team that started the season with one of the slower cars. However, teammate Pierre Gasly faced setbacks, spending a considerable time in the pits due to car issues, which limited his track time.

Mercedes employed split strategies with George Russell running on hard tyres and Lewis Hamilton on mediums. This approach was likely aimed at gathering comprehensive data to refine their race strategy, given the circuit's demanding nature on tyres.

Young Talent on Display

Ollie Bearman took over Nico Hulkenberg's cockpit for this session, as part of the regulation requiring teams to run young drivers in at least two FP1 sessions each season. Bearman had a steady session, focusing on familiarizing himself with the car and circuit.

Halfway Top 10 FP1

The top 10 during the halfway point was:

1. Verstappen - 1:15.424  (H)
2. Russell +0.139s (H)
3. Sainz +0475s (H)
4. Norris +0.543s (H)
5. Hamilton +0.655s (H)
6. Leclerc +0.670s (H)
7. Piastri +0.810s  (M)
8. Pérez +1.031s (H)
9. Ocon +1.364s (H)
10. Tsunoda +1.493s (H)

FP1 Quickest Sector Times

The quickest sector times during this free practice were set by:

• Sector 1: 21.970 by Lando Norris with the McLaren MCL38.
• Sector 2: 29.765 by Max Verstappen with the Red Bull RB20.
• Sector 3: 22.405 by Max Verstappen with the Red Bull RB20.

Last year the quickest lap time of FP1 was a 1:14,606 min, driven by Max Verstappen with the Red Bull RB19.

Looking Ahead

With FP1 completed, attention now turns to the second practice session scheduled later in the day. Teams will continue to refine their setups and gather more data, with fans eagerly anticipating any shifts in the competitive order.

FP1 Times Table 2024 Spanish GP

✅ Check out our 2024 Spanish F1 Grand Prix Preview.

About the author

Leopold

Leopold Pleijsier founded F1-Fansite.com in 2001 and has followed Formula 1 since the early 1980s. He writes about daily F1 news, race weekends, drivers and the sport’s history.

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