2024 F1 Spanish GP FP1 and FP2: What did we learn?

The first day of running in the 2024 F1 Spanish GP ended with Lewis Hamilton on top, with two drivers chasing him within a tenth of his time. Pierre Gasly of Alpine was in P4, and Max Verstappen was in P5.

As one can see from the convoluted order, it wasn't the most predictable of sessions. Red Bull was expected to be the favorite this weekend, but that was not the case, as Max Verstappen did not simply jump to the front of the grid.

On the other hand, we have Mercedes, Ferrari, McLaren, and Red Bull hovering around a tenth of each other in lap times. On a day when temperatures soared, what did we learn after the two practice sessions at the F1 Spanish GP? Let's take a look.

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2024 F1 Spanish GP FP1 and FP2: Key Takeaways

#1 Positive signs for Mercedes

This weekend, Mercedes' top priority was confirmation that the team had closed the distance to the front. This is undoubtedly the case based on lap times and the car's behavior on the track. The car looks good, the drivers seem happy, Lewis Hamilton has topped the session and George Russell has also looked good.

Does this mean Mercedes is now battling for the lead right at the sharp end of the grid? It might or might not be able to accomplish that at the F1 Spanish GP, but rest assured, it is now firmly a part of the top 4.

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#2 The pecking order is clear as mud

How do you place Red Bull, Mercedes, McLaren, and Ferrari in the pecking order? Well, there's maybe a tenth here or a tenth there in favor of each team. There's even a possibility of certain strengths in certain sections for each car.

Having said that, the biggest takeaway has to be the fact that the gaps are so small that it's going to come down to the drivers. Red Bull with Max Verstappen might not look in the best of shape for now, but count them out at your own peril.

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#3 A few drivers are struggling

Well, a few takeaways in terms of drivers' performances seem to be quite obvious. Sergio Perez is completely out of sorts at the moment. The driver apparently tried a bunch of things, realized that none of them worked, and was in serious trouble later.

The F1 Spanish GP weekend began with Charles Leclerc declaring in FP1 that the car was terrible. By the end of the session, he was still not comfortable with the car. The same might be true for Oscar Piastri, who has been behind Lando Norris in general, but the gap seemed a bit more pronounced this time around. There's work to be done for all of them and they would be crunching the data to find the right mix.

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#4 Alpine's lap times need to be taken with caution

The news of Flavio Briatore's return, coinciding with the team having a strong start to the weekend, was something that didn't go unnoticed. Assuming Alpine to be less than 2 tenths of a second away from the front would be far-fetched. Even a half-second gap to Ocon seems optimistic at this early stage.

The car is certainly in the good window for the F1 Spanish GP, but t's wise to be cautious about interpreting these early lap times.

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#5 Race pace is going to be the priority this weekend

We cannot overlook the fact that the track for the Formula One Spanish Grand Prix is extremely rough. Success this weekend might not be dictated by how one performs on a Saturday; it's going to come down to the ability of the teams and drivers to keep the tires alive.

We're looking at a race that's going to be a tossup between two to three stops and when that happens, you have to focus on the long runs. The picture would not be entirely clear after qualifying on Saturday, as a lot can still change on Sunday.