As the F1 cars returned to Barcelona for round 9, it was McLaren who took the early acclaim as Lando Norris was quickest in FP1. Questions arose if the papaya team would still hold an advantage after the new technical directive around flexible bodywork. But Norris looked clear of the field in the first session of the Spanish GP.
While Norris was fastest, the same couldn’t be said of his teammate, Oscar Piastri, who looked to be struggling. Last time out in Monaco, Piastri wasn’t on top form, but can he turn it around when it matters?
Lando Norris fastest as Mercedes don’t show their hand
Lando Norris was over three tenths faster than second-placed Max Verstappen. It looked like Norris was able to keep his soft tyres alive throughout the whole lap, something most drivers struggled to accomplish. Lewis Hamilton impressed by being just 0.011 behind Verstappen, as he beat his teammate Charles Leclerc, who was fourth.
Oscar Piastri was struggling compared to Norris and was half a second off his teammate down in P5. And behind him were the Racing Bull and Yuki Tsunoda, with Liam Lawson the second-highest Red Bull driver.
Lando out front in FP1 👏
Here’s the full classification from our first session in Spain, with two super-subs getting their eye in! 👀#F1 #SpanishGP pic.twitter.com/ruzQKAc9bf
— Formula 1 (@F1) May 30, 2025
The circuit should play into Red Bull’s hands as it contains many medium and high-speed corners. This is a strength of the RB21 compared to Monaco, which has a lot of low-speed corners. FP1 is only an early indication, and teams have time to adjust setups. Max Verstappen should not be counted out of the Spanish GP yet.
The outlier could be Mercedes. George Russell completed the most laps of the session and didn’t run the soft tyre. Kimi Antonelli also didn’t run the softest compound, hiding their true qualifying pace. They could yet play a part in the Spanish GP.
Technical directive hasn’t impacted the pecking order at the Spanish GP
There was much intrigue going into the Spanish GP, with a new technical directive over flexible bodywork brought in by the FIA. The FIA have declared more stringent tests on front wings after they were being utilised to create more downforce and reduce drag. There were rumours that this may impact the pecking order of the grid.
How F1’s New Flexi-Wing Rule Could Reshape the Spanish GP Grid
McLaren has been adamant throughout, saying this will not impact the pace of their car. And after FP1, their claims look to be right. Lando Norris was the only driver able to dip into the 1:13s and showed strong pace on the long runs.
The pecking order looks to be unchanged throughout the grid, but it is tough to tell. Many teams will have run their own program with what tyres are used and the amount of fuel in the car. Only they will know their true data, making this an intriguing race.
