First Free Practice Report & Results 2026 Catalunya F1 GP

Event: Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix
Track: Catalunya Circuit

Weather: 30°C Sunny & Dry
Tarmac: 50°C Dry
Humidity : 32%
Wind : 10.0 km//h North-East
Pressure: 1010 mbar

Russell Sets Barcelona Pace As Rookies Impress

George Russell topped a sweltering opening practice session for the Spanish grand prix, giving Mercedes the early edge at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya while several rookies grabbed their rare FP1 chance with both hands.

Mercedes Start Strong In Spain

Russell’s best lap of 1m16.363s put him clear at the top, with Oscar Piastri second for McLaren and Charles Leclerc third for .

With Kimi Antonelli sitting out FP1 as Fred Vesti took over his Mercedes, Russell had the perfect opportunity to get a head start on a weekend where the reigning pace-setters are again expected to be a major force.

Barcelona’s long straights, demanding high-speed corners and heavy tyre loads should offer a decent read on the pecking order. On first evidence, Mercedes looked tidy from the moment the cars rolled out.

Piastri Keeps McLaren In The Hunt

McLaren had arrived in Spain with mixed expectations. Lando Norris had sounded far from bullish before the weekend, warning that the team still had “huge” weaknesses to solve.

Yet Piastri’s FP1 form suggested the MCL machinery may be more competitive than the gloomy pre-session mood implied. The Australian was only two tenths adrift of Russell and managed his programme despite reporting brake vibration early in the hour.

That issue could not be fully addressed until FP2, but Piastri carried on in typically unfussed fashion.

Rookies Make Their Mark

The standout subplot was the rookie running. Leonardo Fornaroli ended the session an impressive fifth for McLaren, one place ahead of Paul Aron in the Audi.

Dino Beganovic was eighth for Ferrari, Ayumu Iwasa finished 14th for , and Vesti placed 15th in Antonelli’s Mercedes. Colton Herta had a more difficult run for Cadillac, ending up 21st after a kerb strike prompted him to ask the team to check the floor.

Luke Browning, meanwhile, suffered the cruellest Friday of the lot. Williams never managed to get him out on track after an electrical issue delayed his running, costing both driver and team valuable data.

Heat And Tyres Take Centre Stage

Conditions were brutal even by Spanish Grand Prix standards, with track temperatures climbing to 47°C and air temperature at 29°C.

Pirelli brought the C2, C3 and C4 compounds to Barcelona, one step harder than Monaco, but degradation still looked significant. The soft tyre appeared good for only one proper push lap, while blistering was spotted on an Alpine’s front-left tyre.

That could make qualifying preparation and race strategy particularly delicate if the heat continues through the weekend.

Ferrari And Red Bull Still In The Picture

Leclerc’s third place kept Ferrari involved near the front, even if Barcelona’s long straights may not naturally suit their package.

Max Verstappen briefly went fastest on softs before Russell responded emphatically. Red Bull still looked competitive, but not yet in a position to trouble Mercedes over one lap.

For now, Russell has thrown down the first marker. The bigger question comes later, when Antonelli returns and Mercedes finally get a proper same-team comparison on a circuit that should expose the truth better than most.

FP1 Times Table 2026 Catalunya GP

What were the quickest sector times during FP1?

The quickest sector times during this first practice session were:

• Sector 1: 22.214 sec by Oscar PIastri with the McLaren MCL40.
• Sector 2: 30.798 sec by George Russell with the Mercedes W17.
• Sector 3: 23.273 sec by Oscar PIastri with the McLaren MCL40.

Last year the quickest lap time of FP1 was a 1:13,718 min, driven by Lando Norris with the McLaren MCL39.

✅ Check out our 2026 Barcelona-Catalunya 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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