Lewis Hamilton set the fastest lap and went top of the timesheets in FP1 at Istanbul Park, leaving championship rival Max Verstappen four-tenths behind in P2.
Conditions this year were noticeably kinder to drivers than in 2020, with the track having been water-blasted to provide more grip, and as a result times were markedly quicker.
FP1 REPORT: Hamilton leads Verstappen in opening Turkish Grand Prix practice session
While Hamilton set the pace, he also has a 10-place grid penalty to contend with on Sunday, and it was Red Bull's Verstappen who was second in the opening session – with Ferrari's Charles Leclerc not too far behind...
Watch the FP1 highlights from the 2021 Turkish Grand Prix in the video player above.
Next Up
Related Articles
Russell wary of threats to Mercedes' dominance ahead of Japan
Red Bull ‘nowhere near’ the frontrunners – Verstappen
Unlocked10 tricky quiz questions about the Japanese Grand Prix
ExclusiveTsunoda on his F1 past, present and future
5 iconic Japanese Grand Prix battles
How to stream the 2026 Japanese Grand Prix on F1 TV Premium