In the first free practice session, Carlos Sainz was quickest and young driver - test driver Robert Shwartzman was 16th on his first official outing at a Formula 1 event.
40 laps. Carlos and Robert were among the first to go out on track, setting times on their first flying laps of 1’41”381 and 1’45”732 respectively, before the session was red flagged after Antonio Giovinazzi ended up in the barriers in the Haas. After it restarted, Carlos got down to 1’38”287 and Robert did a 1’42”363, before improving to 1’40”541. Towards the end of the session, the Spaniard went out on a set of new Soft tyres, setting the best time of the session in 1’36”857. Shwartzman continued to improve his times, ending up with a 1’38”951, which put him 16th. He could have gone even quicker, but on his final quick lap when he was improving by almost half a second, he encountered traffic in the shape of Max Verstappen in the final sector. Carlos completed 19 laps, Robert 21. The second session starts at 17 local (14 (CET.) Charles Leclerc will be back in his car, alongside Sainz.