Max Verstappen and Red Bull dominate first practice for Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix
- Rob Fleming
- 2 June 2023
In the first practice session for the Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix at Barcelona's Circuit de Catalunya, Max Verstappen showcased his expected dominance by setting the pace for the Red Bull team.
Max Verstappen predictably set the pace for Red Bull at Barcelona's Circuit de Catalunya in Fridays first practice session for the Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix.
Sergio Perez finished second, seven tenths adrift of his Red Bull team-mate, with Esteban Ocon, fresh from his podium at last weekend's Monaco Grand Prix, third for Alpine. Home favourite Fernando Alonso was sixth.
Mercedes spent the first running of the weekend rooted to the bottom of the time sheets before late laps from George Russell, who finished two places and one tenth ahead of his team-mate, and Lewis Hamilton hauled them up the order in 12th position.
Hamilton admitted here on Thursday that Mercedes' much-anticipated upgrade, which made its debut in Monaco a week ago, had not provided the magic fix he was hoping for.
And on his new machine's second outing, at a track where the Silver Arrows said they would obtain a greater understanding of their upgrades, the evidence suggests they are no closer to competing with the grid's all-conquering team, or indeed, leapfrogging rivals Aston Martin and Ferrari.
Verstappen has been in a class of one for much of the past 18 months and his dominance continued on Friday.
He was the only man to break the 75-second barrier, a day after he made the ominous prediction that Red Bull could win all 16 remaining races.
Nyck de Vries has endured a trying start to his Formula One career but the AlphaTauri driver finished fourth in first practice, a spot clear of Alpine's Pierre Gasly, with Alonso, the 41-year-old Spaniard, the only other driver to finish within a second of Verstappen.
British driver Lando Norris was 11th for McLaren, six places ahead of Oscar Piastri in the other McLaren.
Second practice, which could be disrupted by rain, is due to start at 5pm local time (4pm BST).
FP1 Times at Barcelona:
1 Max VERSTAPPEN Red Bull Racing 1:14.606
2 Sergio PEREZ Red Bull Racing +0.768
3 Esteban OCON Alpine +0.812
4 Nyck DE VRIES AlphaTauri +0.898
5 Pierre GASLY Alpine +0.939
6 Fernando ALONSO Aston Martin +0.941
7 Kevin MAGNUSSEN Haas F1 Team +1.083
8 Charles LECLERC Ferrari +1.088
9 Carlos SAINZ Ferrari +1.120
10 George RUSSELL Mercedes +1.147
11 Lando NORRIS McLaren +1.177
12 Lewis HAMILTON Mercedes +1.239
13 Guanyu ZHOU Alfa Romeo +1.300
14 Yuki TSUNODA AlphaTauri +1.309
15 Lance STROLL Aston Martin +1.333
16 Valtteri BOTTAS Alfa Romeo +1.372
17 Oscar PIASTRI McLaren +1.747
18 Nico HULKENBERG Haas F1 Team +1.855
19 Logan SARGEANT Williams +1.900
20 Alexander ALBON Williams +2.024
