Norris tops tight opening session as Albon crashes

McLaren’s Lando Norris set the fastest time during opening practice for Formula 1’s Australian Grand Prix, which was disrupted by a sizeable accident for Alex Albon.

Norris posted a time of 1:18.564s to edge World Champion Max Verstappen by just 0.018s around the high-speed Albert Park circuit, in warm and sunny conditions in Melbourne.

Mercedes’ George Russell was third while Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, RB’s Yuki Tsunoda and Sergio Perez ensured that the top six were separated by just 0.078s.

The biggest drama of the session befell Albon as his off prompted the session to be halted.

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Albon lost control of his Williams FW46 exiting Turn 6, suffering a snap of oversteer, and slammed into the wall on the inside of the circuit, before ricocheting into the concrete on the outside of Turn 7.

Albon was able to walk away following the double impact but the car sustained substantial damage and the session was suspended while the wreckage was removed.

A handful of other drivers suffered offs during the session, with the high-speed Turn 9/10 chicane the primary culprit.

Fernando Alonso ran wide exiting Turn 10, with the trip through the gravel prompting Aston Martin to undertake a floor change on the AMR24.

Russell took a trip through the run-off after a snap through Turn 9 while Valtteri Bottas spun his Sauber through the complex, returning to the pit lane with severely flat-spotted tyres.

World Champion Verstappen also ran slightly wide through the complex on a hot lap – abandoning an effort that could have put him fastest – while team-mate Perez had a minor off after locking up into Turn 13.

Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll was seventh, just a tenth of a second behind Norris, while Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz returned to action after his bout of appendicitis and took eighth place.

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton ran through the grass at Turn 2, and clouted the exit kerb at Turn 10, en route to ninth spot, while Oscar Piastri rounded out the top 10 for McLaren on home soil.