Russell sets fastest time in Barcelona, seven junior drivers get Formula 1 practice

The teams used the first session at the circuit northeast of Barcelona in Montmeló to give their junior drivers the mandated running time. A total of seven youngsters got their chance. The Formula 1 rules require that every regular driver give way to an inexperienced pilot in two practice sessions per season – a rule that came into effect for several top drivers on Friday.

Junior driver rule kicks in at Mercedes, McLaren, Ferrari, and Audi

Antonelli handed his Mercedes cockpit over to the Dane Fred Vesti. The championship leader thus watched the session from the pit wall, while his young substitute racked up valuable kilometers at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. McLaren took the same measure: Norris gave the McLaren seat to Italy's Leonardo Fornaroli, who got the chance to test himself against Formula 1 machinery.

At Ferrari, the Scuderia relied on routine instead. Charles Leclerc finished third in the first practice session (+0.520 seconds) and was thus the highest-placed driver at the wheel himself. The Monegasque was only 0.520 seconds behind Russell's best time and 0.317 seconds behind second-placed Oscar Piastri.

Behind Russell, Oscar Piastri in the McLaren was relegated to second place in 1:16.363 minutes in the opening practice. The Australian ended the one-hour session 0.203 seconds behind the fastest driver in the field. Piastri thus finished just behind the Mercedes benchmark and confirmed the strong form McLaren has shown this season.

Russell ahead of Piastri and Leclerc

Record world champion Hamilton also called on a replacement. Hamilton stepped aside in favor of the Swede Dino Beganovic. Beganovic, who was trained in the Ferrari junior program, used the opportunity to gain experience in the Silver Arrow on one of the most historic tracks on the calendar.

The only German driver in the field, Nico Hülkenberg, also did not take part. Instead, the experienced man from the Rhineland gave the Estonian Paul Aron his Audi. The German team likewise got no echo from its own regular driver in this session and had to observe practice from the outside.

Outlook on Qualifying

With seven young pilots in the cockpits, the first session in Barcelona became a kind of flying visit to Formula 1's future. For Vesti, Fornaroli, Beganovic, Aron, and the other juniors, the goal was to complete as many error-free laps as possible and to put themselves forward for further outings this season. Russell, Leclerc, and Piastri, by contrast, used the session to test setup variations for qualifying on Saturday.

The second free practice on Friday afternoon and qualifying on Saturday will show just how large the gap between the regular drivers and their young deputies really was. Until then, the score reads: the junior drivers have done their duty, the top drivers have kept their peace – and Russell has secured the first benchmark time of the day for now.