2024 Spanish Grand Prix: Hamilton Sets Pace Ahead of Sainz

Lewis Hamilton set the tempo through the second hour of Free Observe for the 2024 Spanish Grand Prix, main the way in which from Carlos Sainz Jr. and Lando Norris.

George Russell led the way in which early on the medium compound tyre, with Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Crew persevering with their sturdy exhibiting from the Canadian Grand Prix and the sooner follow session on Friday.

Max Verstappen was’t glad along with his RB20 as soon as once more, regardless of Oracle Purple Bull Racing introducing a big, vital improve package deal for this weekend. The three time world champion minimize a annoyed determine on the radio, complaining about understeer mid-corner. 

As soon as groups had completed some lengthy working, gathering knowledge for the race on Sunday, focus switched to qualifying simulations. Sainz went quickest as one of many first to placed on the comfortable rubber, earlier than Hamilton took high spot by simply +0.022s.

As soon as everybody had completed a couple of runs on the comfortable compound tyre, consideration as soon as once more switched to race simulations, with not less than a two-stop technique anticipated throughout Sunday’s race. Norris was lower than a tenth behind Hamilton, ending the day in third after going quickest in Free Observe One.

A formidable lap from BWT Alpine F1 Crew driver, Pierre Gasly, put him fourth forward of Verstappen, who will probably be scratching his head at what went incorrect for Purple Bull immediately. 

Charles Leclerc improved on his efficiency within the first hour earlier within the day, however was nonetheless trailing his teammate’s tempo, ending the session sixth. Oscar Piastri additionally fell quick on his push lap, dropping a number of time within the last sector, that means his time was solely ok for seventh. 

Russell was barely out of sync with all the opposite runners, and he ended the day in eighth. Esteban Ocon made it a double high ten for Alpine, which is able to give them a number of hope going into the remainder of the weekend.

Valtteri Bottas rounded out the highest ten. Nico Hülkenberg trailed his teammate after lacking the primary hour with Ollie Bearman taking his place – Kevin Magnussen was eleventh, Hülkenberg twelfth.

If Verstappen thought issues have been dangerous on his facet of the storage, he will probably be counting himself fortunate that he didn’t have the session Sergio Pérez endured. The Mexican lacked any actual tempo and located himself down in thirteenth. 

Fernando Alonso was the lead Aston Martin Armaco F1 Crew automotive down in fourteenth, with Lance Stroll additionally in a disappointing eighteenth. It was a day of information gathering for Visa Money App RB with their vital improve package deal coming into impact this weekend – Yuki Tsunoda was in fifteenth, half a tenth forward of Daniel Ricciardo in sixteenth.

Zhou Guanyu was seventeenth, whereas Alex Albon was 4 tenths behind Stroll in nineteenth, with Logan Sargeant an extra three tenths again, signalling a troublesome day for Williams Racing.

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