2024 Spanish Grand Prix: Hamilton Sets Pace Ahead of Sainz

Lewis Hamilton set the tempo throughout the second hour of Free Follow for the 2024 Spanish Grand Prix, main the best way from Carlos Sainz Jr. and Lando Norris.

George Russell led the best way early on the medium compound tyre, with Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Group persevering with their robust exhibiting from the Canadian Grand Prix and the sooner apply session on Friday.

Max Verstappen was’t blissful together with his RB20 as soon as once more, regardless of Oracle Crimson Bull Racing introducing a big, important 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 achieved some lengthy working, accumulating information for the race on Sunday, focus switched to qualifying simulations. Sainz went quickest as one of many first to placed on the gentle rubber, earlier than Hamilton took high spot by simply +0.022s.

As soon as everybody had achieved just a few runs on the gentle compound tyre, consideration as soon as once more switched to race simulations, with a minimum of 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 Follow One.

A powerful lap from BWT Alpine F1 Group driver, Pierre Gasly, put him fourth forward of Verstappen, who might be scratching his head at what went improper for Crimson Bull right this moment. 

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 brief on his push lap, dropping a lot of time within the ultimate sector, which means his time was solely adequate 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 can give them a lot 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 aspect of the storage, he might 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 Group 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 important 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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