In the build-up to the Spanish Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton set the pace in Friday practice sessions at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. The seven-time Formula 1 champion finished fourth in FP1 with a time of 1m13.264s, just edging out McLaren's Lando Norris by a mere 0.055 seconds.
In FP2, Hamilton once again topped the charts with a lap time of 1m13.865s, while Ferrari's Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc followed closely behind in second and third place respectively.
McLaren drivers Norris and Oscar Piastri both experienced issues during FP3, but were able to complete their runs without significant loss in track time. Norris had a close encounter with Leclerc at Turn 6 during the session, resulting in contact which will be investigated by the stewards.
Max Verstappen finished fifth fastest for Red Bull, complaining of a lack of front grip. The top teams were closely matched, with Mercedes' George Russell just 0.121 seconds behind Norris in sixth place.
Ferrari and Red Bull both have significant upgrades on their cars for the start of a run of races in Europe: Spain, Austria, Silverstone, Hungary and Belgium. The Spanish Grand Prix qualifying session is scheduled to start at 3:00pm BST on Saturday.
It's important to note that while Hamilton set the pace in practice sessions, it does not necessarily indicate competitive form for the race. Upgrades from Ferrari and Red Bull could significantly impact the final grid order and race results.
