29/08/2025
NEWS STORY
Ahead of today's opening session the air temperature is 20 degrees C, while the track temperature is 27 degrees. We're on the other side of the North Sea to Pitpass HQ and though it is currently bright, sunny and blustery we are expecting showers later, particularly in FP2.
In terms of updates, Red Bull has a new Front Wing featuring longer chord flaps as the expected demands of the circuit require the flap elements to have extended chords in order to increase the load available via angle.
Alpine has a new Rear Corner in terms of rear brake duct furniture which includes a set of reprofiled winglets, designed to improve the rear wheel wake management.
Sauber also has a new Rear Corner which features an updated rear brake duct vane design. According to the team the changes to the rear brake duct vane affect the flow field around the rear of the car, local to the diffuser and rear wheels.
And, er... that's it.
The lights go green and Hulkenberg leads the way, followed by Norris, Piastri, Lawson and Ocon.
As more drivers emerge the mediums are clearly the current order of the day. The one exception is Tsunoda who opts for hards.
Hulkenberg posts a benchmark 15.670, but Piastri responds with a 14.198.
Hadjar goers second, ahead of Gasly, Norris and Lawson, but soon all are demoted as rivals improve including Tsunoda who goes second to Hamilton's 13.306.
A 12.767 sees Verstappen go top, as Sainz goes third and Russell fourth.
Piastri posts a 12.678 as his teammate goes third with a 12.951.
Quickest in S1, Alonso goes top with a 12.577.
A big, big spin for Hamilton in Turn 2, understandably he reports that he's "got flat spots all round".
Moments later Tsunoda is off track while Antonelli is suck in the gravel at Turn 9.
"I'm stuck in the gravel," reports the youngster as the session is red-flagged.
Replays show Tsunoda lost the rear of his car under braking at Turn 11, while Antonelli locked-up and understeered into the gravel.
The Italian asks if he is able to rejoin the session. "Negative," comes the reply.
The session resumes and it is Russell that leads the way, followed by Norris, Bortoleto, Sainz and Alonso.
Russell goes second - to Verstappen - with a 12.130 as the Dutch driver becomes the first to switch to softs.
Sainz takes a long, bumpy ride through the gravel after going off at Turn 12.
On the red-banded rubber Verstappen improves to 11.986, as Hulkenberg also fits the softs.
An 11.794 from Piastri on the mediums As Hadjar improves to fifth (12.188) on the yellow-banded rubber.
As Piastri switches to softs his teammate - who has already made the switch - posts a 10.278. The Australian subsequently responds with a 10.700.
Russell does well to hold his rear end in Turn 10.
Hulkenberg goes third and Bortoleto fourth.
Leclerc goes fourth and Hamilton fifth, neither unable to eclipse the Sauber of Hulkenberg and over 1.5s off the pace of the McLarens.
Sainz goes third with an 11.502 as Piastri improves to 10.570 but remains second.
Alonso goes third with a 10.841 as Albon goes fourth (11.259).
Hamilton fails to improve on fourteenth, while his teammate is thirteenth.
Verstappen goes fifth (11.218) but remains 0.940s off Norris' pace, the Briton having reverted to mediums.
"We are miles off," sighs Leclerc as he tells his team to "focus". At least we think he said focus.
With 12 minutes remaining, the wind has picked up and the sky has darkened.
Late in switching to the softs, Stroll goes third (10.779) just ahead of his Aston Martin teammate. The Silverstone-based outfit has looked strong in the last couple of race weekends.
As the clock ticks down most have reverted to mediums as Russell takes a long trip through the gravel after locking-up. "Sorry about that, he tells his team.
The session ends and as ever the drivers head to the grid for a practice start.
However, Verstappen locks up and heads off into the gravel at Turn 1. "I'm stuck," he admits.
Norris is quickest, ahead of Piastri, Stroll, Alonso, Albon, Verstappen, Russell, Sainz, Bortoleto and Gasly.
Lawson is eleventh, ahead of Hadjar, Hulkenberg, Leclerc, Hamilton, Tsunoda, Ocon, Colapinto, Bearman and Antonelli.