SILVERSTONE, UK, July 16, 2021 (AFP) – Max Verstappen (Red Bull), the Dutch Formula 1 world championship leader, dominated his first free practice session at the British Grand Prix, the 10th stage of the season, this Friday. 5891 km).
This is the start of a news-filled weekend in Formula 1: With this course, the world motorsport master class is launching a new format that will be implemented in three more races this year, with the qualifying session on Friday afternoon Thursday and the first qualifying sprint on Saturday.
The format changes, but the preference remains the same ahead of the qualifying round (14:00 GMT), which will determine the grid arrangement for the sprint.
Verstappen was ahead of runner-up Lando Norris (McLaren) by 779ms in these free practice sessions.
The crowd on the traditional English track saw his compatriot Norris perform, but everyone expected a better performance from current champion Lewis Hamilton.
The Mercedes driver, who has been defeated in the last five races – four of them with Verstappen’s victory – had a third best time, at 780ppt, on a circuit where he was victorious seven times, a record.
Mercedes, which finished second in the World Builders Championship after Red Bull, has added modifications to its cars before this weekend, in an effort to be more competitive.
But this initiative has yet to make up for Red Bull’s advantage, given what was presented in the first tests of the day.
And time is not on the German team’s side, as the 72nd British Grand Prix will not have the usual free practice sessions before the qualifying session.
There will be another practice at noon on Saturday, before the 100km race (17 laps, about 30 minutes).
. Free first training session:
Max Verstappen (Haul/Red Bull-Honda) 1: 27.035 (23V)
Lando Norris (GB/McLaren-Mercedes) 1: 27.814 (25)
Lewis Hamilton (GB/Mercedes) 1: 27.815 (29)
Charles Leclerc (MON/Ferrari) 1: 27.828 (25)
Valtteri Bottas (FIN / Mercedes) 1: 27.897 (29)
Carlos Sainz Jr (Spain / Ferrari) 1: 27.923 (25)
Sebastian Vettel (ALE/Aston Martin-Mercedes) 1: 28,062 (23)
Sergio Perez (Mexico / Red Bull-Honda) 1: 28.163 (25)
Daniel Ricciardo (Australia / McLaren-Mercedes) 1: 28.211 (28)
Esteban Ocon (France / Alpine Renault) 1:28.415 (24)
Pierre Gasly (France / AlphaTauri-Honda) 1: 28.449 (28)
Yuki Tsutaka (Japan / AlphaTauri-Honda) 1: 28.600 (29)
Antonio Giovinazzi (ETA / Alfa Romeo-Ferrari) 1: 28.827 (26)
Fernando Alonso (Spain / Alpine – Renault) 1: 28,873 (24)
Kimi Raikkonen (FIN / Alfa Romeo-Ferrari) 1: 29.220 (27)
Nicholas Latifi (Canada/Williams-Mercedes) 1:29.227 (27)
Mick Schumacher (ALE/Haas-Ferrari) 1:29.227 (24)
Lance Stroll (Canada / Aston Martin-Mercedes) 1: 29.597 (21)
Nikita Mazepin (Russia / Haas-Ferrari) 1: 29.808 (23)
George Russell (GB/Williams) 1:29.857 (28)
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