Verstappen tops FP1 at Belgian Grand Prix

Max Verstappen led the first practice session for the Belgian Grand Prix with a time of 1’43.372, demonstrating Red Bull Racing’s competitive edge. McLaren’s Oscar Piastri followed closely, 0.531 seconds behind, while Alexander Albon from Williams secured third place, trailing by 0.727 seconds. The session revealed a competitive field, with Mercedes’ George Russell and Lewis Hamilton finishing fourth and fifth, respectively, showcasing their team’s consistency.

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc placed sixth, just ahead of Red Bull’s Sergio Perez, who managed seventh. Lando Norris in the second McLaren car came in eighth, with a gap of 1.043 seconds from Verstappen’s leading time. Carlos Sainz of Ferrari and Lance Stroll of Aston Martin completed the top ten.

Full Results

The session also saw notable performances from Alpine’s Pierre Gasly and Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso, who secured eleventh and twelfth places, respectively. Daniel Ricciardo, in his return to Red Bull Racing, finished thirteenth, showing promise for the weekend ahead. Valtteri Bottas in the Sauber, Logan Sargeant from Williams, and Yuki Tsunoda in the second Red Bull rounded out the midfield, placing fourteenth, fifteenth, and sixteenth.

Haas drivers Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen had a challenging session, finishing seventeenth and eighteenth. Zhou Guanyu in the Sauber and Esteban Ocon from Alpine, who only completed one lap, ended the session in nineteenth and twentieth places.

The Belgian GP’s first practice session has set a competitive tone for the weekend. Verstappen’s performance  and Red Bull’s strength, while McLaren and Williams showed significant pace. With mixed weather conditions expected and teams continuing to fine-tune their setups, the following sessions promise more excitement and potentially shake up the current standings. The stage is set for a thrilling qualifying session and race at the iconic Spa-Francorchamps circuit.