Belgian Grand Prix – Free Practice 1: Verstappen fastest, surprising Williams performance

Today, the Red Bull single-seater seemed to perform well, with Max Verstappen dominating the entire free practice session. Red Bull has chosen to go back to old updates, a strategy that seems to be paying off. Despite a slippery track following overnight rain, Verstappen remained untouchable, although the Dutch driver will receive a 10-place grid penalty this weekend.

Many problems during the race

The notable incident of the session was Daniel Ricciardo’s spin after only five minutes, narrowly avoiding a yellow flag. Meanwhile, McLaren and Mercedes battled for second place throughout. Esteban Ocon, on the other hand, had to retire after just one lap due to a water leak in his car.

Pierre Gasly, another Alpine driver, also encountered difficulties with a lot of bouncing in his single-seater. However, the resurfacing of the track seems to be effective, with the lap times this year being significantly better than those of 2022, although it is difficult to compare them directly with 2023 due to the wet conditions of last year.

The Mercedes were the first to try out the soft tires after 30 minutes of free practice, but no one was able to make up Verstappen’s time. Lewis Hamilton went off the track at Turn 5, but rejoined without any problems. Despite the bouncing and rear-end problems reported by Hamilton’s teammate George Russell, overall performance was solid.

Unexpected result

Williams distinguished itself with a good performance today, with Alexander Albon holding the third place for the rest of the practices while Logan Sargeant finished 15th. This is the first time Williams has managed to achieve such a good performance in Free Practices this season.

Results of Free Practice 1