Sainz heads rainy, red-flagged practice session

The prelude to the sole practice session featured rain, and a wet track greeted the drivers as they sought to cram their sprint weekend preparation into the hour-long running.

Alex Albon was first to brave the conditions on the intermediate tyre, followed by team-mate Logan Sargeant, as Lewis Hamilton emerged on the wet tyre in his first run with Mercedes’ new upgrades.

Albon set the first timed lap, a 2m08.394s, as rainfall began to slowly…