Latest news with #Haas
Express Tribune
2 hours ago
- Automotive
- Express Tribune
Norris fastest in first Spanish GP practice
McLaren's Lando Norris celebrates after qualifying in pole position in the Formula One Australian Grand Prix Qualifying at Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit in Melbourne on March 15. PHOTO: REUTERS McLaren's Lando Norris followed up his victory in Monaco by lapping fastest in first practice for the Spanish Grand Prix on Friday, with Red Bull's Max Verstappen ending the session as his closest rival. The Briton, winner last Sunday to close to only three points behind championship-leading teammate Oscar Piastri after eight of 24 rounds, set a best time of one minute and 13.718 seconds at the Circuit de Catalunya. Verstappen was 0.367 slower but missed some 20 minutes of the session with mechanics working to change the car's rear suspension. Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton -- winner a record-equalling six times in Spain -- was third on the timesheets, 0.378 off the pace and ahead of teammate Charles Leclerc (+0.520) with Piastri fifth (+0.576). The session was the first in which teams used new front wings to meet stricter flex tests introduced for the Spanish weekend, but there was no immediate sign of any significant change. Liam Lawson was sixth fastest for Racing Bulls with Oliver Bearman seventh for Haas, Isack Hadjar eighth for Racing Bull and Verstappen's teammate Yuki Tsunoda ninth. Alpine's Pierre Gasly completed the top 10. Mercedes, McLaren's closest rivals in the constructors' standings, had George Russell 11th and Kimi Antonelli 18th. The session featured two young drivers gaining experience, with Frenchman Victor Martins replacing Alex Albon at Williams and Japanese Ryo Hirakawa for Esteban Ocon at Haas. Two-time world champion Fernando Alonso, who was 13th in his Aston Martin, launched an impassioned defence, meanwhile, of the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya which appears set to be ditched after 33 years of hosting the Spanish Grand Prix. A new street circuit in Madrid is expected to be confirmed soon as host of the 2026 edition. "I don't think that we will lose Barcelona, that's my opinion and my wish as well," said Alonso who is an ambassador for Barcelona F1. "I think it's good to have new venues and countries, but we need to keep some traditional circuits where the history of F1 has been written." Russell says Albon has more to pay after lobster dinner George Russell says Alex Albon still owes him because the tab for a lobster pasta dinner picked up by his friend and Formula One rival after the Monaco Grand Prix was not enough to make amends for the race. Mercedes driver Russell finished 11th last Sunday with Albon ninth and Williams teammate Carlos Sainz 10th, the pair using strategy to defend their scoring positions on an afternoon without overtaking. Russell, who had scored points in every round up to Monaco, said afterwards that Albon would be paying for dinner and the Thai obliged. "He ordered the most expensive thing on the menu," Albon told reporters hungry for more detail at the Spanish Grand Prix. "He did, actually. It was the lobster pasta. "Lobster pasta, in Monaco... Monaco is not cheap. On race weekends, they bump up the prices everywhere." Albon said he chose a carbonara, admittedly with wagyu beef, and Russell skipped dessert. Asked whether it had been an expensive restaurant, Russell suggested Albon escaped lightly. "Not expensive enough. So, the bill is definitely not even just yet," he said.
Daily Tribune
10 hours ago
- Automotive
- Daily Tribune
Lando Norris Leads First Practice at Spanish Grand Prix as Teams Test Major Upgrades
McLaren's Lando Norris set the pace in Friday's opening practice session at the Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona, ahead of Red Bull's Max Verstappen and Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton. Under scorching conditions at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, the one-hour session served as a testing ground for several teams trialing new upgrades. It was also the first opportunity for teams to adapt to the FIA's latest technical directive, which required stiffer front wings. During the first half-hour, most teams ran Pirelli's hardest C1 tyres to gather correlation data and evaluate the performance of new components against pre-event simulations. In response to the grass fires seen during April's Japanese Grand Prix—believed to have been sparked by titanium skid blocks—teams tested heavier steel skid blocks on one car per team. The steel skids weigh approximately 750 grams more and degrade faster than their titanium counterparts. Local favorite Fernando Alonso led early running on the hard compound, before Norris claimed the top spot. As the session progressed and teams switched to softer compounds, lap times improved significantly. Nico Hulkenberg briefly went second on softs, while Charles Leclerc topped the timesheets before being eclipsed by Verstappen and finally Norris. Norris's best time of 1:13.718 put him over three-tenths of a second clear of Verstappen. Hamilton followed closely in third, with Leclerc just behind in fourth. Oscar Piastri rounded out the top five in the second McLaren. Racing Bulls' Liam Lawson continued his impressive form, finishing sixth, ahead of Haas's Oliver Bearman and team-mate Isack Hadjar. Red Bull's Yuki Tsunoda and Alpine's Pierre Gasly completed the top 10. The session ran smoothly with no major incidents, though Haas stand-in Ryo Hirakawa—filling in for Esteban Ocon—took a brief detour through the gravel. The other FP1 rookie was F2 star Victor Martins, who stepped into Alex Albon's Williams for the session.
TimesLIVE
15 hours ago
- Automotive
- TimesLIVE
Norris leads Verstappen in first Spanish Grand Prix practice
McLaren's Lando Norris followed up his victory in Monaco by lapping fastest in the first practice for the Spanish Grand Prix on Friday, with Red Bull's Max Verstappen ending the session as his closest rival. The Briton, winner last Sunday to close to only three points behind championship-leading teammate Oscar Piastri after eight of 24 rounds, set a best time of 1:13.718 seconds at the Circuit de Catalunya. Verstappen was 0.367 slower but missed about 20 minutes of the session with mechanics working to change the car's rear suspension. Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton — winner a record-equalling six times in Spain — was third on the time sheets, 0.378 off the pace and ahead of teammate Charles Leclerc (+0.520) with Piastri fifth (+0.576). The session was the first in which teams used new front wings to meet stricter flex tests introduced for the Spanish weekend, but there was no immediate sign of any significant change. Liam Lawson was sixth fastest for Racing Bulls with Oliver Bearman seventh for Haas, Isack Hadjar eighth for Racing Bull and Verstappen's teammate Yuki Tsunoda ninth. Alpine's Pierre Gasly completed the top 10. Mercedes, McLaren's closest rivals in the constructors' standings, had George Russell 11th and Kimi Antonelli 18th. The session featured two young drivers gaining experience, with Frenchman Victor Martins replacing Alex Albon at Williams and Japanese Ryo Hirakawa for Esteban Ocon at Haas.
The Star
15 hours ago
- Automotive
- The Star
Motor racing-Norris fastest in first Spanish GP practice
Formula One F1 - Spanish Grand Prix - Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain - May 30, 2025 McLaren's Lando Norris during practice REUTERS/Bruna Casas BARCELONA (Reuters) -McLaren's Lando Norris followed up his victory in Monaco by lapping fastest in first practice for the Spanish Grand Prix on Friday, with Red Bull's Max Verstappen ending the session as his closest rival. The Briton, winner last Sunday to close to only three points behind championship-leading teammate Oscar Piastri after eight of 24 rounds, set a best time of one minute and 13.718 seconds at the Circuit de Catalunya. Verstappen was 0.367 slower but missed some 20 minutes of the session with mechanics working to change the car's rear suspension. Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton -- winner a record-equalling six times in Spain -- was third on the timesheets, 0.378 off the pace and ahead of teammate Charles Leclerc (+0.520) with Piastri fifth (+0.576). The session was the first in which teams used new front wings to meet stricter flex tests introduced for the Spanish weekend, but there was no immediate sign of any significant change. Liam Lawson was sixth fastest for Racing Bulls with Oliver Bearman seventh for Haas, Isack Hadjar eighth for Racing Bull and Verstappen's teammate Yuki Tsunoda ninth. Alpine's Pierre Gasly completed the top 10. Mercedes, McLaren's closest rivals in the constructors' standings, had George Russell 11th and Kimi Antonelli 18th. The session featured two young drivers gaining experience, with Frenchman Victor Martins replacing Alex Albon at Williams and Japanese Ryo Hirakawa for Esteban Ocon at Haas. (Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Christian Radnedge)
Straits Times
15 hours ago
- Automotive
- Straits Times
Norris fastest in first Spanish GP practice
BARCELONA - McLaren's Lando Norris followed up his victory in Monaco by lapping fastest in first practice for the Spanish Grand Prix on Friday, with Red Bull's Max Verstappen ending the session as his closest rival. The Briton, winner last Sunday to close to only three points behind championship-leading teammate Oscar Piastri after eight of 24 rounds, set a best time of one minute and 13.718 seconds at the Circuit de Catalunya. Verstappen was 0.367 slower but missed some 20 minutes of the session with mechanics working to change the car's rear suspension. Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton -- winner a record-equalling six times in Spain -- was third on the timesheets, 0.378 off the pace and ahead of teammate Charles Leclerc (+0.520) with Piastri fifth (+0.576). The session was the first in which teams used new front wings to meet stricter flex tests introduced for the Spanish weekend, but there was no immediate sign of any significant change. Liam Lawson was sixth fastest for Racing Bulls with Oliver Bearman seventh for Haas, Isack Hadjar eighth for Racing Bull and Verstappen's teammate Yuki Tsunoda ninth. Alpine's Pierre Gasly completed the top 10. Mercedes, McLaren's closest rivals in the constructors' standings, had George Russell 11th and Kimi Antonelli 18th. The session featured two young drivers gaining experience, with Frenchman Victor Martins replacing Alex Albon at Williams and Japanese Ryo Hirakawa for Esteban Ocon at Haas. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
