The first session of the new season began with Nico Hülkenberg leading the field onto the circuit for Cadillac. However, the running was soon disrupted by several technical issues. Local favourite Oscar Piastri reported a temporary loss of power in his McLaren during the early laps, although the problem cleared and he was able to continue.

Debutant Arvid Lindblad also experienced a difficult start, as his Racing Bulls stopped at the pit exit and had to be pushed back to the garage before he could rejoin the session later. Aston Martin faced an even bigger setback, with Fernando Alonso unable to take part at all after the team discovered a suspected power unit problem shortly before the start of practice.

In the early stages, Leclerc set the first competitive benchmark with a lap of 1:22.080, placing him ahead of Max Verstappen and Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli. There were also concerns at McLaren, where Lando Norris complained about poor gear shifts. The team later began investigating a gearbox issue, which eventually brought his session to an early end.

As the track conditions improved, drivers began switching to soft tyres in search of faster lap times. George Russell was among the first to try them, but he remained some distance behind Leclerc’s earlier time. Verstappen later improved and briefly moved to the top of the timesheets on the softer compound.

The final part of the session brought further interruptions. Alex Albon stopped on track after reporting a loss of power steering, which caused yellow flags, while Sergio Perez spun off the circuit after complaining about heavy engine braking.

In the closing minutes, Leclerc delivered the fastest lap of the session to secure first place. Hamilton followed in second to complete a Ferrari 1-2, while Verstappen finished third for Red Bull ahead of teammate Isack Hadjar.

Arvid Lindblad impressed on his debut by setting the fifth-fastest time for Racing Bulls. Oscar Piastri finished sixth for McLaren despite his earlier issue. George Russell placed seventh for Mercedes, just ahead of teammate Kimi Antonelli in eighth. Gabriel Bortoleto ended the session ninth for Audi, while Nico Hulkenberg completed the top ten.