The 2021 Formula 1 Grand Prix of Spain – Free Practice 1 /Timeline Report by Dro/

Valtteri Bottas set the best time of 1:18.504 during Free Practice 1 of the 2021 Formula One Grand Prix of Spain at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. | Image: Daimler AG | 

It’s nice that we have a race weekend. This weekend we’re following the Formula 1 Aramco Gran Premio De España 2021.

 

 

The race track Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya participated for the very first time in 1991. We are about to enjoy 66 racing laps on Sunday but till that moment we have the Free Practice 1, Free Practice 2 held on May 7, 2021. Tomorrow there are the Free Practice 3 and the Qualification. That’s all about the pre-information and now we’re going to follow what’s going during the Free Practice 1.

 

 

A few minutes after the start of the Free Practice 1 Lewis Hamilton reported that his car goes to the right. Nikita Mazepin gets out of the track while accelerating between T8 and T9. No huge damages.  

 

 

The lap times started from about 1:21.014 set by Lewis Hamilton.

 

 

53:30 Valtteri Bottas sets P2 time and he is +0.375 slower than Lewis Hamilton.

 

 

To about 43:59 Hamilton improve his lap times as he set 1:19.675 and still on P1.

 

 

I do think that till the end of the race week the best times during the race week will be about 1:15. Let’s see.

 

 

31:18 Most of the drivers are on hard tires. Hamilton sets 1:19.6 on hard tires and P1. The soft tires are faster and probably we’re going to see how these red-badge tires are going to behave at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya a little bit later.

29:50 What a surprise! Vettel set 1:19.234 and P1. But probably very soon we’re going to have even better lap times. If not this will be the biggest surprise and it will be nice to see Vettel in the front roll again.

 

 

21:52 Hamilton set 1:18.627 P1 on soft tires. Bottas’s time is +0.2, Gassly +0.435, and Vettel +0.608, and so on.

 

 

Robert Kubica went out of the track just after Turn 10 and before T11 due to a higher speed. The rear tires turned his car and Robert went on the gravel where he had stuck. Red Flag. The session is stopped. All drivers are in the box.  

 

 

Interestingly, Verstappen has P10 +1.415 after 1.18.504 – the best time of Lewis Hamilton. Verstappen had a very nice performance during the last few races so it’s a little bit strange. We will see what will be the best lap time of Max Verstappen till the end of Free Practice 1 and during Free Practice 2.

 

We have green lights and 8:51 minutes to go. Several drivers waited at the end of the pit lane.

 

 

6:35 Bottas had made 1:18.504 P1. Hamilton’s time is 0.123 slower on P2. Norris P3 with +0.440.

 

 

3:40 Max Verstappen asked about his battery status. He was told that the batt is ok but the tires are a little bit hot. However, Max set 1:18.537 P2. Now I’m calm about his performance.

 

 

The Free Practice ended. We have Valtteri Bottas P1 1:18.504; Max Verstappen +0.033; Lewis Hamilton +0.123; Lando Norris +0.440