Tuscany GP practice one: F1 debuts at Mugello with Valtteri Bottas faster

F1 2020 cars hit fast and scenic Mugello for the first time; Ferrari makes a much improved start at its own track on the first day of the team’s GP 1000 weekend

1:36

Hop aboard with Lewis Hamilton in his Mercedes for a comprehensive tour of the Mugello track

Formula 1 made its long-awaited debut on the demanding first track at Mugello when Valtteri Bottas led the first practice at the inaugural Tuscan GP.

The first of several new or returning tracks added to the revised 2020 season, the picturesque Mugello circuit, which is owned by Ferrari, has only previously hosted ad-hoc F1 test sessions with the venue most associated with bike racing. .

Although many drivers have some experience on the 5.2 km junior series or test circuit, Friday morning was their first real experience driving 2020-spec F1 cars, the fastest in the sport’s history, at the fast and fluid lap.

And, for the fifth consecutive race weekend, it was Bottas who led the opening session with a Mercedes man’s best time of 1: 17.879.

But Mercedes was by no means dominant at first in Tuscany.

Max Verstappen was less than a tenth of Bottas for Red Bull, while Charles Leclerc was surprisingly just 0.3 seconds behind Ferrari.

Ferrari finds a much-needed starting rhythm

The Italian team is heading to their 1000th Grand Prix on their own track after two absolutely steamy weekends at Spa and Monza, when they were almost completely absent from the top 10 in all sessions and failed to score any points.

So Leclerc’s performance in the P1 here was certainly more encouraging in an SF1000 car running in retro burgundy this weekend as a nod to Ferrari’s 1950 F1 debut.

Lewis Hamilton, the 47-point world championship leader, was fourth in the opening session ahead of last week’s surprise first winner, Pierre Gasly, as the Frenchman and AlphaTauri got off to another strong start here.

1:29

Nicholas Latifi turns the gravel after having a little understeer at turn two during practice one

Sebastian Vettel meanwhile was out of the top 10 in the second Ferrari as the four-time world champion returned to work with his current team after his move to the next one, Racing Point, was announced on Thursday.

Sergio Perez, whom Vettel is replacing, and Lance Stroll were at the bottom of the P1 timesheet with the team focusing on the heavier fuel racing simulation work to start their weekend.

Meanwhile, Williams’ Nicholas Latifi was the sole heading of the session.