Formula 1 made its eagerly-anticipated debut at the inaugural Tuscan GP and Valtteri Bottas topped the first practice around the fast and demanding Mugello track.
The picturesque Mugello circuit, which is owned by Ferrari is the first of several new or returning tracks added to the revised 2020 season. It has only previously staged ad-hoc F1 test sessions with the venue more associated with bike racing.
Whilst many drivers have some experience of the 5.2km circuit from testing or junior series, their first true test of driving the 2020-spec F1 cars - the fastest in the sport’s history - around the quick, flowing lap happened on Friday morning of 11 September.
Valtteri Bottas, however, topped the opening session just as with the four other consecutive race weekends. He also did it with the best time from the Mercedes man of 1:17.879.
However, Mercedes were by no means dominant early on in Tuscany.
Max Verstappen was less than a tenth back on Bottas for Red Bull, while Charles Leclerc was surprisingly only 0.3s adrift for Ferrari.
Related: Formula 1: AlphaTauri’s driver Pierre Gasly wins the Italian Grand Prix in dramatic fashion
