McLaren’s pace appeared to show no early ill-effects from the clampdown on flexi front wings as Lando Norris headed Max Verstappen in first practice at the Spanish Grand Prix.

Five days after winning the prestigious Monaco GP for the first time to inject fresh impetus into his world championship challenge, Norris was immediately back at the head of the timesheet at a scorching Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya via an impressive fastest time on soft tyres of 1:13.718.

Norris finished 0.367s clear of Red Bull’s Verstappen and 0.378s ahead of Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton, whose Barcelona weekend began in encouraging fashion on single-lap pace.

The rest of the field were over half a second back – including Norris’ championship-leading team-mate Oscar Piastri, who was fifth behind the second Ferrari of Charles Leclerc.

“The big question, has that Monaco win given Lando that necessary boost of confidence that he has found his mojo again and is back to his best?” asked Sky Sports F1’s Nico Rosberg, the 2016 world champion.

“It looked like it out there, he was absolutely confident and flying.”

Verstappen spent around 20 minutes in the garage in the second half of the session while Red Bull seemingly completed a change at the rear of his car.

F1’s new front-wing rules in focus in Spain

The session was the first since the long-trailed introduction of stricter load tests for front wings from this race weekend onwards, a change made by the governing body to clamp down on the practice of ‘flexing’ bodywork.

As a result of the new rules, most teams ran new front wings in opening practice – although not McLaren, notably. It appears the Woking team first ran their Barcelona-compliant wing at an earlier event this season.

The championship leaders’ car has long been highlighted by some rivals as one which has best exploited the flexi-wing phenomenon, although McLaren themselves have repeatedly insisted the changes will not particularly negatively impact them.

Norris’ immediate timesheet-topping pace, on both the hard and then soft tyres, has given McLaren’s position further credence.

Mercedes were the other leading team not running a new front wing, although they have introduced changes to the W16’s floor and rear wing as they chase improved performance following two disappointing races.

George Russell was their lead runner in 11th, although he set his quickest time on the slower medium tyres.

With Kimi Antonelli, also running the mediums, down in 18th in the second Mercedes, Racing Bulls finished with both cars in the top 10 – Liam Lawson in sixth and Isack Hadjar in eighth.

Oliver Bearman was eighth for Haas, who ran Japanese reserve driver Ryo Hirakawa in their other car for the opening session in place of Esteban Ocon. All F1 teams have to run inexperienced drivers in four first practice sessions during the season.

Hirakawa had the only incident of note in the session when he ran through the gravel in the opening minutes at Turn 10. He finished 17th fastest.

Victor Martins, filling in for Alex Albon, was 19th quickest for Williams.

Sky Sports F1’s Spanish GP schedule

Saturday May 31
9am: F3 Sprint
11.15am: Spanish GP Practice Three (session starts at 11.30am)
1.10pm: F2 Sprint
2.10pm: Spanish GP Qualifying build-up*
3pm: SPANISH GP QUALIFYING*

Sunday June 1
7.25am: F3 Feature Race
8.55am: F2 Feature Race
12.30pm: Grand Prix Sunday: Spanish GP build-up*
2pm: The SPANISH GRAND PRIX*
4pm: Chequered Flag: Spanish GP reaction

*also live on Sky Sports Main Event

F1’s European triple header concludes with the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona this weekend, with live coverage starting from Friday on Sky Sports F1. Stream Sky Sports with NOW – no contract, cancel anytime