Nog 8 minuten: Verstappen is now in the pits for a remarkably long time. He has only driven 11 laps. Norris, in comparison, has already done 22 laps.
Nog 11 minuten: Almost everyone on the track is in race simulations with times that are six to seven seconds above Norris’ fastest time. That is the difference between a fast lap and race pace on a circuit like Barcelona.
Nog 15 minuten: We are in a quiet phase of the training, with many cars in the pit box. The Ferraris are now coming out again with Hamilton on hard tires and Leclerc on soft tires. Verstappen is still inside, the McLarens too.
Nog 26 minuten: Lewis Hamilton is still 0.011 seconds short of Verstappen, but Norris goes three tenths under the Dutchman’s time.
Nog 27 minuten: Many purple times on the monitor. Verstappen goes under the new fastest time of Charles Leclerc with a 1.14.085. That is one and a half tenths faster than the Ferrari.
Nog 29 minuten: More drivers are coming onto the track on softs, including Verstappen. Hülkenberg just rode the second time with it, a tenth of Russell’s time.
Nog 32 minuten: After two races with the softest tires, Pirelli’s hardest rubber is back. In Barcelona, the C1, C2 and C3 are used. We now have them all on the track. Nico Hülkenberg is the only one driving on the softs. George Russell goes to the fastest time with the mediums: 1.14.751.
The upper support that McLaren has added would be all that the World Cup leaders have had to do to get through the new inspection.
Nog 45 minuten: Verstappen is still driving on the hard tires and has been sitting on them for a while. He clocks a 1.15.516. That is still two tenths slower than the current fastest time in the hands of Lando Norris.
Nog 52 minuten: Striking in the FIA document about the updates this weekend is that almost everyone gives up a new front wing, except….McLaren. In principle, teams do not have to give up updates if there are no visual differences. McLaren may have internally strengthened the wing. Or…. McLaren thinks the wing will also pass the tightened tests. A small support has been added, but it is not in the document.
Nog 53 minuten: Hirakawa takes a ride through the gravel in turn 10. Meanwhile, home favorite Fernando Alonso has the fastest time in hand with a 1.15.480. Max Verstappen has completed three laps on the hard tires.
Nog 56 minuten: And Ryo Hirakawa drives in Esteban Ocon’s Haas.
Nog 57 minuten: We have a few substitutes in this training: Victor Martins takes over the wheel of Alexander Albon’s Williams for an hour.
Groen licht: We have started in Barcelona.
Although a lot has been said in recent days about the tightening of the rules regarding the bending of the front wings, it is unlikely that anything will be noticeable in the first training session. Perhaps drivers will already express their views on the road holding with the new front wings.
How warm is it in Barcelona? 30 degrees Celsius clean on the hook. The asphalt temperature is already at 47.5 degrees.