Barcelona-Catalunya GP
George Russell Fastest in Barcelona GP FP1 as Mercedes Leads McLaren and Ferrari
Among the standout performers was Leonardo Fornaroli, who replaced Lando Norris at McLaren and finished an impressive fifth overall. Paul Aron, driving for Audi in place of Nico Hulkenberg, also caught attention by securing sixth place. Other rookies in action included Dino Beganovic for Ferrari, Ayumu Iwasa for Red Bull, Fred Vesti for Mercedes, Colton Herta for Cadillac, and Luke Browning for Williams.
Mercedes driver George Russell delivered an impressive performance in the opening practice session of the 2026 Formula 1 Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix, finishing fastest ahead of McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.
The British driver posted a best lap time of 1:16.363 at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, laying down an early marker as teams began preparations for Sunday’s race. The session also featured a strong rookie presence, with seven young drivers taking part as teams fulfilled Formula 1’s mandatory rookie practice requirements.
George Russell’s pace highlighted Mercedes’ promising start to the weekend, while championship contenders McLaren, Ferrari, and Red Bull all showed competitive speed during the opening hour of running.
Seven Rookie Drivers Get Valuable Track Time
One of the major talking points from FP1 was the participation of seven rookie drivers, a record number for a single practice session this season.
Among the standout performers was Leonardo Fornaroli, who replaced Lando Norris at McLaren and finished an impressive fifth overall. Paul Aron, driving for Audi in place of Nico Hulkenberg, also caught attention by securing sixth place.
Other rookies in action included Dino Beganovic for Ferrari, Ayumu Iwasa for Red Bull, Fred Vesti for Mercedes, Colton Herta for Cadillac, and Luke Browning for Williams.
While several youngsters impressed, Luke Browning endured a frustrating session as an electrical problem on the Williams prevented him from completing any laps.
Mercedes and McLaren Show Strong Pace
George Russell immediately looked comfortable around the Spanish circuit and became the first driver to break into the 1:17 range before improving further on soft tyres.
McLaren’s Oscar Piastri remained close throughout the session and finished just over two-tenths behind the Mercedes driver. Despite the strong result, the Australian reported brake vibration issues over team radio, which McLaren plans to address before Free Practice 2.
Charles Leclerc completed the top three for Ferrari, continuing the Scuderia’s recent run of competitive form. The Monegasque driver showed strong pace despite briefly running wide at Turn 10 during the session.
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Verstappen Battles Balance Problems
Reigning world champion Max Verstappen finished fourth for Red Bull but appeared unhappy with his car’s handling.
The Dutchman briefly topped the timesheets during the switch to soft tyres but later reported balance issues, admitting over team radio that he was struggling to understand the car’s behavior.
Meanwhile, Audi’s Gabriel Bortoleto experienced a gravel excursion at Turn 7 and described his car as “unstable” after returning to the circuit.
Several drivers found the conditions challenging, including Fred Vesti, who locked up at Turn 1 and took to the runoff area.
FP1 Top 10 Results
- George Russell (Mercedes) – 1:16.363
- Oscar Piastri (McLaren) +0.203s
- Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) +0.520s
- Max Verstappen (Red Bull) +0.684s
- Leonardo Fornaroli (McLaren) +0.853s
- Paul Aron (Audi)
- Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls)
- Dino Beganovic (Ferrari)
- Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls)
- Franco Colapinto (Alpine)
With Mercedes, McLaren, Ferrari, and Red Bull all showing competitive pace, the battle for pole position is shaping up to be closely contested.
Teams will now analyze data gathered from FP1 before returning to the track for Free Practice 2, where attention will shift toward qualifying simulations and long-run race pace ahead of the Barcelona-Catalunya GP.
