Lewis Hamilton made a strong statement during the Spanish Grand Prix’s opening practice session by finishing third, silencing recent criticism and showcasing that he’s still a major threat on the track. The seasoned Brit, now driving for Ferrari, delivered a solid performance after a turbulent start to the season, reminding fans and critics of his racing prowess. His performance at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya showed renewed momentum in what might be his final season with Ferrari before his return to Mercedes.
Lando Norris, however, was the star of the session, clocking the fastest lap time and continuing his impressive form for McLaren. Max Verstappen, who recently won in Monaco, came in second, narrowly missing out on the top spot. Hamilton followed closely in third, with teammate Charles Leclerc right behind in fourth. This strong showing from Ferrari signals potential for a competitive race weekend, especially with Leclerc aiming to build on his Monaco success.
The top five was completed by McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, while Racing Bulls drivers Liam Lawson and Isack Hadjar impressed by taking sixth and eighth places. Ollie Bearman, subbing in for Haas, surprised many with a strong seventh-place finish, adding to his growing reputation in Formula 1. The practice session revealed a competitive midfield, with several young talents making their presence felt.
Spanish fans were disappointed as local hero Fernando Alonso faced technical issues that cut his session short, placing only 12th. His Aston Martin teammate Lance Stroll was close behind in 13th. Meanwhile, George Russell had a quiet session in 11th for Mercedes, and rookie Kimi Antonelli struggled, finishing 18th. Two rookies, Ryo Hirakawa and Victor Martins, also made appearances but ended up near the bottom of the timesheets, gaining experience rather than results.
Elsewhere, mixed fortunes struck the rest of the field. Nico Hülkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto placed 14th and 16th for Kick Sauber, while Carlos Sainz—now driving for Williams—only managed 15th in front of his home crowd. Alpine’s Pierre Gasly was steady in 10th, but Franco Colapinto finished last. As FP1 wrapped up, the outlook for the Spanish Grand Prix became clear: a potentially thrilling battle is brewing between Norris, Hamilton, and Verstappen, with Ferrari poised to challenge for the podium.
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