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Ahead of today’s opening session the air temperature is 14 degrees C, while the track temperature is 19 degrees. There is a 10% chance of rain, indeed there is talk of rain throughout the weekend.
McLaren and Mercedes have both expressed doubts over their pace here, with George Russell – the winner here twelve months ago – openly suggesting that Red Bull are favourites. We shall see, but it would certainly liven up the championship fight.
And then there’s Ferrari, where chairman John Elkann has stirred up a veritable hornets next with his post-Brazil criticism of his drivers.
Hadjar gets the session underway, followed by Gasly, Bearman, Ocon and Tsunoda. All are on mediums.
Leclerc is the first of the big guns to emerge, followed by the ever-improving Antonelli.
As ever, there are lots of ‘one-off’ liveries and helmet designs, all in the name of style over substance.
“It’s so slippery,” reports Lawson, unfortunately this is ging to be the case for much of the weekend, for the track basically ‘re-greens’ each day.
Hadjar posts a 46.062, but Leclerc responds with a far more sensible 41.328, and Sainz a 41.164.
As Leclerc improves to 39.733 and Antonelli 40.866, Verstappen heads out.
As ever, Alonso is running his own strategy and heads out on softs, while Hulkenberg is on hards. The German goes third with a 40.058 as Hadjar goes top (39.415).
A 39.355 sees Sainz reclaim the top spot, Williams expecting a strong weekend here after the disappointment of Brazil.
Tsunoda goes second (38.874) as Piastri and Russell are the last to emerge.
A big slide for Leclerc in Turn 1. No sooner has the Monegasque posted a 38.114, than Gasly responds with a 37.990.
Norris goes fourth and Piastri seventh, as Sainz improves to 37.588.
A 38.011 sees Verstappen go third, just ahead of his Red Bull teammate. However, he is demoted when his potential future teammate posts a 37.622.
A 37.407 from Leclerc as Norris runs wide, while Gasly takes to the escape road at Turn 14.
Hulkenberg raises the bar with a 37.370, but Tsunoda posts a 37.094 and Verstappen a 36.493.
Norris improves to third, Hamilton fifth and Piastri eleventh as Leclerc goes third with a 36.609.
On the softs, Alonso improves to eighth with a 37.628.
“I have a stone flying around the cockpit,” reports Hadjar.
Drivers continue to struggle to remain on the track, Bearman going off on successive laps, while Bortoleto is also caught out.
Verstappen improves to 36.043 as Hamilton goes third and Stroll fourth.
Leclerc responds with a 35.954 as Russell goes sixth, but Verstappen has a 35.776 up his sleeve.
Norris pits after clouting the wall with his right-rear, though Zak Brown claims there is no damage since it was a “square hit”.
Russell improves to third, 0.307s off the pace, while a 36.250 puts Piastri sixth.
A little silliness involving Albon and Hadjar, the Frenchman reacting in his usual calm manner.
At half-time, a number of drivers make the switch to softs, among them Leclerc and Hamilton.
The seven-time world champion goes quickest with a 35.561, having been quickest in S1. However, his tyres appeared to ‘drop off’ as the lap progressed.
In the McLaren garage mechanics are working underneath Norris’ car.
Leclerc posts a 35.281, and again his quickest sector is the first.
Russell goes third and interestingly he is quickest in the final sector.
Offs for Piastri and Alonso while Albon has a big, big lock-up.
As Verstappen heads out on the red-banded rubber, Gasly goes third with a 35.589.
Leclerc consolidates his top spot with a 35.121, as Antonelli goes fourth (35.568).
Quickest in S1, Hamilton aborts in the second sector, while Verstappen also appears to ease off.
Russell splits the Ferraris with a 35.534.
Quickest in the first and final sectors, Verstappen raises the bar with a 35.109, just 0.004s up on Leclerc.
Hamilton locks-up and heads down the escape road at Turn 12, as Tsunoda goes top with a 35.071.
Norris is next to use the escape road at Turn 12 as Leclerc reclaims the top spot with a 34.802.
A lap later and Norris does it again… which will surely affect his newfound self-confidence.
“It’s good to challenge the braking there,” Norris is told.
PBs in all three sectors see Albon go second with a 34.968. Both Williams drivers in the Top 5.
Hadjar improves to tenth while Lawson remains seventeenth.
Piastri improves to fifth, but is demoted when his teammate stops the clock at 35.258.
Verstappen reverts to the mediums, as does Leclerc.
Bearman is the latest to make use of the Turn 12 escape road.
As the cars throw up sparks into the cold night air, it is incredible just how dusty the track is.
The session ends. Leclerc is quickest, ahead of Albon, Tsunoda, Verstappen, Sainz, Norris, Hadjar, Piastri, Russell and Antonelli.
Hamilton is eleventh, ahead of Gasly, Lawson, Alonso, Stroll, Bearman, Ocon, Hulkenberg, Bortoleto and Colapinto.
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