Summary

  • George Russell fastest in Barcelona-Catalunya GP first practice

  • Second practice at 16:00 BST

  • Pierre Gasly reinstated into P3 in Monaco GP

  • Kimi Antonelli leads drivers' championship by 66 points

  • Select audio icon for BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra commentary (UK only)

  • Send us your views by selecting 'Get Involved'

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Live Reporting

Lorraine McKenna

  1. Top 10

    1. George Russell (Mercedes) - 1:16.363

    2. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) +0.203

    3. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) +0.520

    4. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) +0.684

    5. Leo Fornaroli (McLaren) +0.853

    6. Paul Aron (Audi) +0.958

    7. Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) +1.109

    8. Dino Beganovic (Ferrari) +1.415

    9. Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls) +1.441

    10. Franco Colapinto (Alpine) +1.530

  2. Max Verstappen brings his Red Bull home in fourth place, Leo Fornaroli banks a great P5 for himself in the McLaren and fellow rookie Paul Aron puts his Audi an impressie sixth spot, six places higher than team-mate Gabriel Bortoleto, who was not happy with his set-up during that session.

  3. chequered flag

    Chequered flag

    Mercedes' George Russell ends first practice in Barcelona quickest with a time of 1:16.363 on the soft compound.

    McLaren's Oscar Piastri is second, two tenths back on Russell, with Charles Leclerc and his Ferrari third on the timesheets, half a second off the pace of the Silver Arrows of Russell.

  4. The top three of George Russell, Oscar Piastri and Charles Leclerc have switched back to the medium tyre for the closing stages of this session, and here comes the chequered flag...

  5. This has been a routine first practice session at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. George Russell is quickest ahead of the McLaren of Oscar Piastri and the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc. Kimi Antonelli, Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton will be back in the car for second practice.

    Gabriel Bortoleto's opening hour has been scrappy, with the Brazilian back on the Audi radio to highlight more issues following another twitch. He's 18th on the timesheets now, with team-mate Paul Aron, in for Nico Hulkenberg, in sixth.

  6. Fornaroli up to fifth

    The rookies are looking good in this session. McLaren reserve driver and back-to-back F3 and F2 champion Leo Fornaroli is sitting in for reigning F1 champ Lando Norris in this session and after his hot lap on the soft tyre, the Italian 21-year-old clocks a 1:17.216 to go fifth on the timesheets.

    Liam Lawson, meanwhile, is on the radio to Racing Bulls saying something is broken in the car, while Pierre Gasly also calls Alpine to say he is having suspension troubles.

  7. Abbi Pulling
    2024 F1 Academy champion on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    It's really nice to see a rookie, Paul Aron, in P5, being really respectable and up there. It almost feels like a new era. I think it's so important what Kimi Antonelli is doing right now because the top teams are going to look at younger drivers and give them opportunities.

  8. It doesn't look like we'll see Luke Browning in this session. The 24-year-old rookie is yet to get in the car and take the Williams out for a spin in Barcelona.

    Paul Aron, meanwhile, is up in the top five following his latest flying lap on the soft compound. The Audi driver is fifth, with team-mate Gabriel Bortoleto down in P15 on the timesheets.

    Brazilian Bortoleto is next to the cross the line and moves up the order to go ninth, which becomes P10 fairly quickly with Dino Beganovic's latest lap for Ferrari, who is now seventh.

  9. Top five

    All soft tyre

    1. George Russell (Mercedes) - 1:16.363

    2. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) +0.203

    3. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) +0.520

    4. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) +0.684

    5. Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls) +1.441

  10. Leclerc goes P3

    Charles Leclerc takes a picture with a young fan in the Barcelona paddockGetty Images

    Poor Charles Leclerc can't catch a break.

    First he crashes out of his home race last weekend in Monaco, which he says "still hurts", and then he was forced to wear his team-mate Lewis Hamilton's Ferrari kit in the Barcelona paddock yesterday.

    The Monegasque driver was one of a number of retirees last time out and following his shunt at the final corner - the exact same place as Aston Martin's Lance Stroll, Leclerc was adamant he was not taking the blame for it - his brakes can.

    With his latest DNF, Leclerc has dropped to fourth in the drivers' standings, 15 points behind Hamilton, who has leapfrogged both him and George Russell to sit second.

    Leclerc said on Thursday it's full focus on the races ahead, although he couldn't provide an update on his brakes dilemma. Ferrari have brought an upgrade to Barcelona, so is this make or break for the Italian team?

    "I think, realistically, there is still the Mercedes that remains the benchmark, so I think Mercedes will still be extremely strong," he said. "Red Bull were also strong in Monaco, so it's not like we're the only ones making progress.

    "I don't have much expectations for this weekend, just because I don't want to have any."

    Out on track today, Leclerc completes his opening flyer on the soft compound and goes third on the timesheets, half a second back on leader George Russell.

    The camera pans to the crowd and a little Ferrari fan is asleep in his dad's arms - you're missing Leclerc's lap.

  11. Russell goes quickest

    George Russell has said he wants some "neutral luck" this weekend. Kimi Antonelli, leading the Briton by 68 points in the drivers' championship after Monte Carlo, is sitting out this first session, so the pressure is slightly off Russell for this first hour at least.

    With his soft tyres bolted on, Russell goes ahead of Red Bull's Max Verstappen, who is now third, and the McLaren of Oscar Piastri after clocking a time of 1:16.363.

    Russell is 0.203 seconds quicker than Australian Piastri.

  12. Verstappen top on softs

    Max Verstappen will be hoping to bounce back after a miserable Monaco Grand Prix. We had high hopes for a great battle off the line between the Dutchman and polesitter Kimi Antonelli but his Red Bull stalled at lights out, with his race ending shortly after.

    Verstappen is on the soft compound and goes to the top of the timesheets with a 1:17.047.

  13. The highest rookie on the board so far is Paul Aron, who is replacing Audi's Nico Hulkenberg for this session and is seventh at the moment.

    Dino Beganovic (below) is in for Lewis Hamilton over at Ferrari. The 22-year-old kicks up some dust and is on the radio to say: "I had a lot more power out of Turn Seven than I expected."

    Gabriel Bortoloto, meawhile, is off the track and into the gravel in the other Audi. The Brazilian falls foul around the same Turn Seven-Eight-Nine section other drivers have complained about.

    "Ah mate, I'm losing the rear so much. The car is very unstable," says Bortoleto to his engineer.

    Dino BeganovicPA Media

  14. Get Involved - your views on Gasly reinstatement

    Select 'Get Involved' to send us your views

    The reinstatement is clearly ludicrous purely on the basis that they can't reinstate the other drivers' positions and therefore why should Gasly be treated differently? Obviously this situation should never have happened in the first place but now we're here, that should be how it is.

    Joe

    I'm pleased, but how on earth did Mercedes not achieve this in Abu Dhabi 2021!!!

    Giles

    It's not about "if Gasly is innocent everyone is". You pay the money and go through the process. Alpine did, others didn't. The others must feel foolish.

    Bob

  15. Top five

    All medium tyre

    1. George Russell (Mercedes) - 1:17.353

    2. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) +0.202

    3. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) +0.656

    4. Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) +0.708

    5. Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls) +1.148

    Mercedes' George Russell during Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix first practicePA Media

  16. Carlos Sainz is up to seventh on the timesheets following his small delay at the start of the session but an impeding incident has been noted by race control between the Spaniard and Liam Lawson. The New Zealander was not happy with Sainz's positioning on track.

    Lawson is currently sitting in fourth place followed by his Racing Bulls team-mate Arvid Lindblad, the two drivers bringing home double points for the team last weekend in Monaco.

  17. Russell just wants 'neutral luck'

    George RussellGetty Images

    George Russell isn't looking for a major handout heading into round seven in Spain. "Like I said in Monaco, I'm just dying to have a smooth weekend," he said on Thursday. "I'm not asking for the world to give me luck, I just want neutral luck."

    Since Russell's opening victory in Australia followed by his sprint win in China, he's had to watch on as his younger team-mate has dominated the campaign. After his latest disappointment in round six - he came away with no points for the second race weekend in a row - he's sticking with his assessment that the title is now way out of reach.

    Russell added: "Now I feel the pressure feels off, to be honest. I'm just going to try and enjoy every race, not even thinking about a championship."

  18. Russell quickest

    Luke Browning is still waiting to get out in the Williams to start his first practice session. Team principal James Vowles tells Sky Sports on the pit wall it's a small electrical issue that is curtailing the Briton's running.

    Other rookies are out on track, though, and Mercedes' Fred Vesti has just locked-up at heading into Turn One.

    The majority of the field are on the medium tyre, with George Russell top of the timesheets with a 1:17.353 from the McLaren of Oscar Piastri. Title leader Kimi Antonelli is watching on from the sidelines for this opening hour.

  19. Get Involved - your views on Gasly reinstatement

    Select 'Get Involved' to send us your views

    I don't see how Gasly can be reinstated when others serve the penalty. As some served the penalty then surely the result from last week should stand

    Jonathan

    Several drivers were hit with the same penalties, they were all innocent, therefore they should all have times reinstated, if that is not possible, then none of them should gain an advantage of the other penalised drivers. Russell would be 3rd..!

    Alan

    Very surprised but the right decision from the FIA. Fair play to Alpine for being proactive and well done to Gasly on a great race last weekend. Feel a little bit for Hadjar as he also drove well but it's the right outcome. Mercedes will be livid!

    Karl

  20. Colton Herta is driving Sergio Perez's Cadillac for first practice. The American has been pinned as a future F1 star for a while now, and he's in gis first season in Formula 2 this season.

    Herta reaches Turn Eight but he goes over the kerb and does well to save the car from any danger, and tells his pit wall the left-hand side bottomed out.

    There's a bit of confusion over at Audi. "Lisa, how is the car?" ask an engineer. "Hello, I'm Gabi!" responds Brazilian Gabriel Bortoleto. "Oh, sorry Gabi!".

    Who is Lisa?!