All drivers started with a stint on the hard tire. Before switching to softer material after a long run, Lewis Hamilton had the fastest time with a wide margin over Norris, Verstappen, George Russell and Oscar Piastri.
‘McLaren drivers Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris are good, but not at the level of Max Verstappen, George Russell or Charles Leclerc’
In the qualifying simulations on the softs there was someone who stood out again. Norris recorded the fastest time of all and was a quarter of a second ahead of Hülkenberg. Piastri and Fernando Alonso were also faster than Verstappen, although the difference was not big.
Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz
Charles Leclerc did not complete training due to a shifting problem. Carlos Sainz was also unable to complete the training. He was called in within half an hour due to problems with his gearbox. There was another brief red flag, because carbon had come loose from Lance Stroll’s car and was in an annoying spot in Turn 19.