Monegasque Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) achieved the best time in the first and only free practice session of the Qatar Grand Prix, 23rd round of 24 of the F1 World Championship, Friday at the Losail International Circuit (5.419 km).
In the fight for the constructors' world title, Ferrari and McLaren were neck and neck during this first run in Qatar since Leclerc beat the two papaya-colored single-seaters of Briton Lando Norris and Australian Oscar Piastri, while his Spanish teammate Carlos Sainz set the fourth fastest time.
This suggests a great battle later in the evening on Friday during qualifying for the sprint race, which will take place on Saturday afternoon.
After this quartet, a few surprises came to shake up the usual hierarchy since the Japanese Yuki Tsunoda (Racing Bulls) took 5th place, ahead of the Finn Valtteri Bottas (Sauber) and the Canadian Lance Stroll (Aston Martin).
The Top 10 is completed by the Briton George Russell (Mercedes), winner last weekend in Las Vegas, the Thai Alex Albon (Williams) and the seven-time English world champion Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes).
The Dutchman Max Verstappen (Red Bull), who has just won a fourth consecutive planetary crown, is in 11th place, ahead of the Spanish veteran Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin), who should reach the mark of 400 Grand Prix starts on Sunday, a record .
On the French side, the two Alpines of Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon are at the end of the peloton, in 15th and 20th position respectively. But we must put this result into perspective because the French drivers were the only ones not to ride on soft tires, the most efficient.
With hard then intermediate tires, Gasly, whose car is equipped this weekend with a new front wing and a new nose, had always appeared in the Top 5 before his competitors all put on soft tires at the end. session.
. 1st free practice session:
Charles Leclerc (MON/Ferrari) 1:21.953 (30 laps)
Lando Norris (GBR/McLaren-Mercedes) 1:22.378 (24)
Oscar Piastri (AUS/McLaren-Mercedes) 1:22.425 (26)
Carlos Sainz Jr (ESP/Ferrari) 1:22.535 (30)
Yuki Tsunoda (JPN/Racing Bulls-Red Bull) 1:23.045 (27)
Valtteri Bottas (FIN/Sauber-Ferrari) 1:23.064 (29)
Lance Stroll (CAN/Aston Martin-Mercedes) 1:23.099 (24)
George Russell (GBR/Mercedes) 1:23.160 (27)
Alexander Albon (THA/Williams-Mercedes) 1:23.161 (29)
Lewis Hamilton (GBR/Mercedes) 1:23.188 (26)
Max Verstappen (NED/Red Bull) 1:23.213 (26)
Fernando Alonso (ESP/Aston Martin-Mercedes) 1:23.227 (24)
Nico Hülkenberg (GER/Haas-Ferrari) 1:23.245 (27)
Liam Lawson (NZL/Racing Bulls-Red Bull) 1:23.562 (29)
Pierre Gasly (FRA/Alpine-Renault) 1:23.620 (28)
Kevin Magnussen (DEN/Haas-Ferrari) 1:23.715 (27)
Zhou Guanyu (CHN/Sauber-Ferrari) 1:23.880 (27)
Sergio Pérez (MEX/Red Bull) 1:24.039 (26)
Franco Colapinto (ARG/Williams-Mercedes) 1:24.200 (29)
Esteban Ocon (FRA/Alpine-Renault) 1:24.280 (21)
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