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Max quickest in Spa FP1

Published on 26 July 2024 by Stefan Meens

Max Verstappen was quickest in the opening practice session of the Belgian Grand Prix. Around his favoured Spa-Francorchamps, the Oracle Red Bull Racing driver was fastest ahead of Oscar Piastri (McLaren) and Williams’ Alex Albon.

When the lights go out for the start of FP1, it’s cloudy but dry in the Ardennes. Max hits the ground running with a quick first timed lap, propelling him to the top of the timing sheets. He does so on the hard Pirelli. The Dutchman continues to improve during an eight-lap stint on the same set of tyres.

At the halfway mark, the first soft runners make their appearance with Russell being the first driver to pip Max to P1. The Mercedes driver is unable to enjoy his effort for long as Max retaliates by going almost a second faster with his first timed effort on the softs. Piastri and Albon both put in impressive laps but are unable to topple the triple world champion.

In the final third of the session, the teams switch to long runs in preparation for Sunday’s Grand Prix. It means lap times are no longer bettered resulting in Max finishing FP1 at the top of the timing sheets. It is an encouraging start to a weekend where the Red Bull racer will face a ten place grid penalty due to requiring new power unit parts.

Contest Belgian GP: win a by Max Verstappen signed Verstappen.com Racing cap!

Results first free practice Belgium:

posdriverteamtimelaps
1Max VerstappenVERRed Bull Racing Honda RBPT1:43.372
2Oscar PiastriPIAMcLaren Mercedes1:43.903+0.531s
3Alexander AlbonALBWilliams Mercedes1:44.099+0.727s
4George RussellRUSMercedes1:44.225+0.853s
5Lewis HamiltonHAMMercedes1:44.279+0.907s
6Charles LeclercLECFerrari1:44.306+0.934s
7Sergio PerezPERRed Bull Racing Honda RBPT1:44.329+0.957s
8Lando NorrisNORMcLaren Mercedes1:44.415+1.043s
9Carlos SainzSAIFerrari1:44.574+1.202s
10Lance StrollSTRAston Martin Mercedes1:44.699+1.327s
11Pierre GaslyGASAlpine Renault1:44.833+1.461s
12Fernando AlonsoALOAston Martin Mercedes1:44.921+1.549s
13Daniel RicciardoRICRB Honda RBPT1:44.950+1.578s
14Valtteri BottasBOTKick Sauber Ferrari1:45.155+1.783s
15Logan SargeantSARWilliams Mercedes1:45.311+1.939s
16Yuki TsunodaTSURB Honda RBPT1:45.564+2.192s
17Nico HulkenbergHULHaas Ferrari1:45.645+2.273s
18Kevin MagnussenMAGHaas Ferrari1:45.812+2.440s
19Zhou GuanyuZHOKick Sauber Ferrari1:45.995+2.623s
20Esteban OconOCOAlpine Renault