The top three of George Russell, Oscar Piastri and Charles Leclerc have switched back to the medium tyre for the closing stages of this session, and here comes the chequered flag...

This has been a routine first practice session at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. George Russell is quickest ahead of the McLaren of Oscar Piastri and the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc. Kimi Antonelli, Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton will be back in the car for second practice.

Gabriel Bortoleto's opening hour has been scrappy, with the Brazilian back on the Audi radio to highlight more issues following another twitch. He's 18th on the timesheets now, with team-mate Paul Aron, in for Nico Hulkenberg, in sixth.

The rookies are looking good in this session. McLaren reserve driver and back-to-back F3 and F2 champion Leo Fornaroli is sitting in for reigning F1 champ Lando Norris in this session and after his hot lap on the soft tyre, the Italian 21-year-old clocks a 1:17.216 to go fifth on the timesheets.

Liam Lawson, meanwhile, is on the radio to Racing Bulls saying something is broken in the car, while Pierre Gasly also calls Alpine to say he is having suspension troubles.

Abbi Pulling
2024 F1 Academy champion on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

It's really nice to see a rookie, Paul Aron, in P5, being really respectable and up there. It almost feels like a new era. I think it's so important what Kimi Antonelli is doing right now because the top teams are going to look at younger drivers and give them opportunities.

It doesn't look like we'll see Luke Browning in this session. The 24-year-old rookie is yet to get in the car and take the Williams out for a spin in Barcelona.

Paul Aron, meanwhile, is up in the top five following his latest flying lap on the soft compound. The Audi driver is fifth, with team-mate Gabriel Bortoleto down in P15 on the timesheets.

Brazilian Bortoleto is next to the cross the line and moves up the order to go ninth, which becomes P10 fairly quickly with Dino Beganovic's latest lap for Ferrari, who is now seventh.

1. George Russell (Mercedes) - 1:16.363

2. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) +0.203

3. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) +0.520

4. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) +0.684

5. Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls) +1.441

Image source, Getty Images

Poor Charles Leclerc can't catch a break.

First he crashes out of his home race last weekend in Monaco, which he says "still hurts", and then he was forced to wear his team-mate Lewis Hamilton's Ferrari kit in the Barcelona paddock yesterday.

The Monegasque driver was one of a number of retirees last time out and following his shunt at the final corner - the exact same place as Aston Martin's Lance Stroll, Leclerc was adamant he was not taking the blame for it - his brakes can.

With his latest DNF, Leclerc has dropped to fourth in the drivers' standings, 15 points behind Hamilton, who has leapfrogged both him and George Russell to sit second.

Leclerc said on Thursday it's full focus on the races ahead, although he couldn't provide an update on his brakes dilemma. Ferrari have brought an upgrade to Barcelona, so is this make or break for the Italian team?

"I think, realistically, there is still the Mercedes that remains the benchmark, so I think Mercedes will still be extremely strong," he said. "Red Bull were also strong in Monaco, so it's not like we're the only ones making progress.

"I don't have much expectations for this weekend, just because I don't want to have any."

Out on track today, Leclerc completes his opening flyer on the soft compound and goes third on the timesheets, half a second back on leader George Russell.

The camera pans to the crowd and a little Ferrari fan is asleep in his dad's arms - you're missing Leclerc's lap.

George Russell has said he wants some "neutral luck" this weekend. Kimi Antonelli, leading the Briton by 68 points in the drivers' championship after Monte Carlo, is sitting out this first session, so the pressure is slightly off Russell for this first hour at least.

With his soft tyres bolted on, Russell goes ahead of Red Bull's Max Verstappen, who is now third, and the McLaren of Oscar Piastri after clocking a time of 1:16.363.

Russell is 0.203 seconds quicker than Australian Piastri.

Max Verstappen will be hoping to bounce back after a miserable Monaco Grand Prix. We had high hopes for a great battle off the line between the Dutchman and polesitter Kimi Antonelli but his Red Bull stalled at lights out, with his race ending shortly after.

Verstappen is on the soft compound and goes to the top of the timesheets with a 1:17.047.

The highest rookie on the board so far is Paul Aron, who is replacing Audi's Nico Hulkenberg for this session and is seventh at the moment.

Dino Beganovic (below) is in for Lewis Hamilton over at Ferrari. The 22-year-old kicks up some dust and is on the radio to say: "I had a lot more power out of Turn Seven than I expected."

Gabriel Bortoloto, meawhile, is off the track and into the gravel in the other Audi. The Brazilian falls foul around the same Turn Seven-Eight-Nine section other drivers have complained about.

"Ah mate, I'm losing the rear so much. The car is very unstable," says Bortoleto to his engineer.

Image source, PA Media

1. George Russell (Mercedes) - 1:17.353

2. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) +0.202

3. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) +0.656

4. Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) +0.708

5. Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls) +1.148

Image source, PA Media

Carlos Sainz is up to seventh on the timesheets following his small delay at the start of the session but an impeding incident has been noted by race control between the Spaniard and Liam Lawson. The New Zealander was not happy with Sainz's positioning on track.

Lawson is currently sitting in fourth place followed by his Racing Bulls team-mate Arvid Lindblad, the two drivers bringing home double points for the team last weekend in Monaco.

Image source, Getty Images

George Russell isn't looking for a major handout heading into round seven in Spain. "Like I said in Monaco, I'm just dying to have a smooth weekend," he said on Thursday. "I'm not asking for the world to give me luck, I just want neutral luck."

Since Russell's opening victory in Australia followed by his sprint win in China, he's had to watch on as his younger team-mate has dominated the campaign. After his latest disappointment in round six - he came away with no points for the second race weekend in a row - he's sticking with his assessment that the title is now way out of reach.

Russell added: "Now I feel the pressure feels off, to be honest. I'm just going to try and enjoy every race, not even thinking about a championship."

Luke Browning is still waiting to get out in the Williams to start his first practice session. Team principal James Vowles tells Sky Sports on the pit wall it's a small electrical issue that is curtailing the Briton's running.

Other rookies are out on track, though, and Mercedes' Fred Vesti has just locked-up at heading into Turn One.

The majority of the field are on the medium tyre, with George Russell top of the timesheets with a 1:17.353 from the McLaren of Oscar Piastri. Title leader Kimi Antonelli is watching on from the sidelines for this opening hour.

Colton Herta is driving Sergio Perez's Cadillac for first practice. The American has been pinned as a future F1 star for a while now, and he's in gis first season in Formula 2 this season.

Herta reaches Turn Eight but he goes over the kerb and does well to save the car from any danger, and tells his pit wall the left-hand side bottomed out.

There's a bit of confusion over at Audi. "Lisa, how is the car?" ask an engineer. "Hello, I'm Gabi!" responds Brazilian Gabriel Bortoleto. "Oh, sorry Gabi!".

Who is Lisa?!

Oscar Piastri is out on track early but the Australian driver has news for his pit wall already. "The brakes have a vibration on them," he says. The reply comes and it's basically, sit tight until second practice. "No, it's OK," responds Piastri.

Over at Williams, Carlos Sainz had a steering issue trying to get out of the pit lane, while rookie team-mate Luke Browning is stuck in the garage and nowhere as the mechanics work on his, or Alex Albon's, car.

The tyres selected by Pirelli for this weekend's grand prix are a step softer than usual in Barcelona, with the C2 as the hard, C3 as the medium and the C4 as the soft compound. There is no rain forecast, but the green intermediates and blue full wets are here too.

Explaining their decision, the Italian supplier said: "Given the characteristics of the current compounds, the aim is to encourage a greater number of pit stops and also the inclusion of the hard tyre in race strategies."

Barcelona's 14-corner track features four straight mode zones, with the overtake activation point just before the final turn, leading onto the start-finish straight.

It was announced on Thursday Pirelli will continue as Formula 1's tyre supplier until 2028.