Red Bull's Max Verstappen, the four-time world champion, has won twice but is third and 25 points behind Piastri. "It's a great feeling to be in the lead of the championship and to have more points than everyone, but it's not something I look at," Norris told reporters at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on Thursday.

McLaren's Lando Norris has topped first practice at Formula 1's Spanish Grand Prix, heading Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton in Barcelona.

Oscar Piastri leads the F1 championship but Lando Norris has narrowed the gap in recent weeks while Max Verstappen also remains a threat despite McLaren's dominance