Practice 1 Report - Norris Leads Bahrain FP1 as rookies shine

Lando Norris
© McLaren

Lando Norris topped the timesheets in the first practice session of the Bahrain Grand Prix weekend, as teams balanced development work with mandatory rookie outings in sweltering daytime conditions.

The McLaren driver set a fastest lap of 1m33.204s on soft tyres, leading Alpine’s Pierre Gasly and Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton in a session marked by varied run plans and experimental setups. With air temperatures hitting 35°C and track temperatures peaking at 47°C, conditions were far from representative of the cooler night-time sessions to come.

Six teams fielded rookie drivers as part of F1’s requirement to run young talent in four FP1 sessions throughout the season. Former F2 champion Felipe Drugovich stepped in for Fernando Alonso at Aston Martin, while Ayumu Iwasa took over Max Verstappen’s Red Bull. Frederik Vesti, Luke Browning, Dino Beganovich, and Ryo Hirakawa also featured.

Vesti, driving Russell's usual Mercedes seat, stood out with early lock-ups at Turns 1 and 10 as he adapted to the 2025-spec car. Another rookie, Gabriel Bortoleto, made a brief appearance at the top after becoming the first to run on softs, setting a 1m34.628s in his Sauber.

Behind the top three, Alex Albon, Esteban Ocon, Nico Hulkenberg, and rookie Jack Doohan populated a shuffled midfield. Liam Lawson, Yuki Tsunoda, and Oscar Piastri rounded out an unusual top ten.

Ferrari and Mercedes delayed their soft-tyre runs, with Hamilton ultimately sliding into third late in the session as the Scuderia evaluated significant upgrades to the car’s floor and diffuser.

With mixed tyre strategies, unknown fuel loads, and extreme temperatures, FP1 offered little clarity about true performance — but it gave fans a glimpse into the sport’s future, as the next generation of F1 drivers took another step into the spotlight.