P1racenews AI automatic summary:
The conditions were far from ideal, yet Lando Norris’ eye-catching time was just 0.017s off Max Verstappen’s pole lap from a year ago.
Lando Norris and McLaren impressed their F1 rivals with fast lap times during the practice session, setting them up for a potential front-row lockout in qualifying. With fresh soft tyres, Norris and his teammate Piastri were way ahead of the competition, leaving only a few drivers within a second of their pace. Despite a challenging session, Lewis Hamilton struggled to find the right setup and ended up in 12th place. The track conditions were not representative of what will be experienced during qualifying and the race, with high temperatures affecting the performance of the cars. Ultimately, George Russell set the fastest lap time towards the end of the session, showcasing his potential for a strong performance in the upcoming sessions.
