As the sun started to set in the Middle East, the only practice session of the weekend got underway at Lusail in FP1 for the F1 Qatar GP.
Verstappen out of the traps quickly
Alpine’s Esteban Ocon set the first time on a 1:28.979, using the medium compound tyre. After Tsunoda went fastest, Max Verstappen went over 2s clear as a 1:26.338 put him P1 on the mediums.
Russell, Sainz (hards), Piastri, Leclerc (hards) and Pérez completed the top 6 after their first laps, with 1.117s covering Verstappen to Pérez.
On his second push lap, a 1:25.970 from Yuki Tsunoda put the Japanese driver back to the top of the charts on mediums. The World Champion responded again as a 1:25.612 put him 0.358s clear.
At the 10-minute mark, Leclerc’s 1:25.486 put him 0.126s clear of Verstappen. Gasly, Sainz and Tsunoda completed the top 5.
That did not last long, however. George Russell pumped in a 1:24.901 in the Mercedes to put 0.585s on the field, before Lando Norris set two purple sectors to move within 0.076s of his fellow Brit.
Valtteri Bottas went fastest in the middle sector to slot into P4 as track evolution continue to be high in FP1 at the F1 Qatar GP.
After Pierre Gasly went to the top, Max Verstappen put 0.934s into the field as a 1:23.885 from the four-time defending World Champion was the first lap below 84s. Norris (0.178s) and Russell (0.390) got close to move up to P2 and P3.
Ferrari quick on the hards
On the hard tyre, a 1:23.702 from Charles Leclerc slotted him into P1, going purple in sectors 1 and 3. Teammate Carlos Sainz moved up to P4, 0.387s adrift.
At turn 15, Sergio Pérez briefly lost the rear and took a trip through the gravel strip/run-off but carried on.
Between turns 4 and 5, Franco Colapinto got a tad wide and put his left hand side wheels in the gravel strip. Lando Norris repeated it a few minutes later, while also running off track.
On a push lap once again, the McLaren driver ran wide at turn 10 after putting in a personal best in the first sector.
Halfway through, Leclerc led Verstappen, Gasly, Norris, Sainz, Russell, Tsunoda, Albon, Hülkenberg and Hamilton. The Ferraris and Albon were on hards, with everyone else bar Colapinto on mediums.
For the third time in quick succession, Lando Norris had a massive snap in turn 10 and was fortunate to avoid spinning. He had gone purple in sector 1.
Ferrari continued to look good on the hards. A 1:23.419 from Charles Leclerc put him 0.119s ahead of teammate Carlos Sainz. Lando Norris moved up to P3, 0.307s away from the benchmark.
After getting on the outside kerb at turn 12, Pierre Gasly ran off at the next corner. The Frenchman had gone purple in the middle sector.
Three purple sectors from Carlos Sainz saw the Spaniard pump in a 1:23.068 to go quickest by 0.351s. Norris, Gasly, Verstappen, Piastri, Alonso, Russell, Tsunoda and Albon rounded out the top 10 with 20 minutes left.
Soft tyre running
Franco Colapinto was the first driver out on softs but got wide into the gravel strip on the run into turn 6. He could only go P19, 2.7s off the pace.
A rapid 1:22.242 from Charles Leclerc in the Ferrari saw the Monegasque driver outpace the McLarens.
Despite Lando Norris going purple in sector 1, the Brit ended up 0.136s slower than his rival for P2 in the standings. Oscar Piastri was 0.047s slower than his stablemate.
On a second push lap, a 1:21.953 from Charles Leclerc saw the 27-year-old be the only driver to go below 82s in the session, ending up 0.425s ahead of Norris.
A late lap from Carlos Sainz put him P4, 0.110s behind Oscar Piastri, but he was 0.582s slower than his Ferrari teammate in FP1 at the F1 Qatar GP.
At turn 2, Oscar Piastri had a moment and ran wide, just avoiding the gravel as both McLaren drivers had moments in the session.
Tsunoda, Bottas, Stroll, Russell, Albon and Hamilton completed the top 10.
Verstappen, Alonso, Hülkenberg, Lawson, Gasly, Magnussen, Zhou, Pérez, Colapinto and Ocon rounded out the order. The Alpines did not do a soft tyre run.
