Overview
- Kimi Antonelli set the weekend benchmark in the only 60‑minute practice session on Friday with a 1:12.949, finishing 0.121 seconds clear of Lando Norris and narrowly ahead of team‑mate George Russell.
- The session began on a damp track after morning rain and quickly dried, forcing teams to switch from intermediates to slicks and making limited running more consequential for set‑up and tyre choices.
- Max Verstappen struggled for one‑lap balance and reported downshift and oversteer issues while finishing 11th, and Red Bull made a short‑notice change with Liam Lawson stepping in for the injured Isack Hadjar and Yuki Tsunoda returning to Racing Bulls.
- McLaren and Ferrari’s upgrade packages showed pace close to Mercedes, and Audi impressed in the midfield with Nico Hülkenberg seventh and Gabriel Bortoleto ninth on the timesheet.
- With Antonelli carrying a 50‑point championship lead, Friday’s practice leaves teams facing a rapid turnaround into Sprint Qualifying later the same day, where tyre choice and single‑lap form will have outsize impact on the weekend order.