Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas was the fastest in FP1 of F1 Tuscan GP from Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.
The first-ever F1 Tuscan GP at Mugello Circuit was a go with the FP1 session amid limited fans in the stands as Mercedes’ Bottas led the way with a 1m17.879s with Red Bull’s Verstappen (1m17.927s) only 0.048s behind – the only two to be in 1m17s bracket.
In this was the burgundy red painted Ferrari’s Leclerc (1m18.186s) as the Italian manufacturer celebrates its 1000th grand prix event. Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton (1m18.09s) could only manage fourth as late in the session there was a radio call of PU damage.
Fresh from winning the Italian GP, AlphaTauri’s Pierre Gasly (1m18.676s) slotted in fifth with Renault’s Esteban Ocon (1m18.805s) sixth from the other AlphaTauri of Daniil Kvyat (1m18.839s) and McLaren’s Lando Norris (1m18.981s).
Red Bull’s Alexander Albon (1m19.068s) was ninth with Renault’s Daniel Ricciardo (1m19.140s) completing the Top 10 as Alfa Romeo Racing’s Kimi Raikkonen (1m19.219s) slotted in 11th from Haas’ Romain Grosjean (1m19.224s).
The Frenchman complained of power loss at certain corners with new TC and MGU-H fitted as he had a run-in with Racing Point’s Sergio Perez with Grsojean just managing to not crash while the Mexican was un-sighted of the Haas driver coming through.
Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel (1m19.267s), meanwhile, was 13th with Alfa Romeo’s Antonio Giovinazzi (1m19.322s) in 14th as McLaren’s Carlos Sainz (1m19.457s) was only 15th after trialing a Mercedes-like nose and front wing as he also had a slight off.
Behind him was Williams’ George Russell (1m19.478s) in 16th on the medium tyres with Haas’ Kevin Magnussen (1m19.551s) in 17th having got a new ICE. The two Racing Points were 18th and 19th as Williams’ Nicholas Latifi (1m20.034s) was 20th.
The Canadian was the sole spinner in the session to cause a yellow flag with Latifi setting his best on the hard compound just as Lance Stroll (1m19.836s) and Sergio Perez (1m19.840s) in 18th and 19th. The former had some hearing from Verstappen towards the end for his DRS use.
Here’s what the F1 drivers said about Tuscan GP