P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Max Verstappen found breathing space at the top of the timing sheets ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris after the first
On the first day of the test, George Russell and Max Verstappen were among the few drivers to stay behind the wheel for both the morning and afternoon sessions. The reigning World Champion, Verstappen, dominated the day by completing 142 laps and setting the fastest time of 1:31.344s, putting him over a second ahead of Lando Norris. Carlos Sainz claimed the third-fastest time for Ferrari, followed by Daniel Ricciardo and Pierre Gasly. Lance Stroll, who missed all testing in 2023, managed to secure the sixth position ahead of Charles Leclerc. Oscar Piastri and Guanyu Zhou rounded out the top ten, while Nico Hulkenberg, despite being the slowest in the evening, impressively completed 81 laps for Haas.