Verstappen Leads First Practice at F1 British GP, Outpacing Perez and Albon

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Max Verstappen, the Dutch racer, is gearing up for his potential sixth consecutive victory this weekend at Silverstone. This achievement has only been reached by four other drivers in history. The race also marks Verstappen’s 150th start for the reigning champions.

Even though Verstappen initially struggled for grip, he secured an early lead with a time of 1m30.443s on the hard Pirelli tyres. He persistently improved his performance and switched to the soft compound with less than 15 minutes remaining. It was then he clocked the session-best time of 1m28.600s, outperforming Perez by 0.4s.

Williams’ Alex Albon finished the practice third with a 1m29.089s time, showcasing a unique livery to celebrate the team’s 800th Grand Prix.

The Silverstone track was bustling with activity early in the hour-long practice session due to several teams, AlphaTauri being the most significant, testing new components for the weekend.

Mercedes’ George Russell set the initial benchmark with a 1m33.471s, only to be surpassed by his teammate Lewis Hamilton, who was nearly a second faster. Verstappen took the lead for the first time as Charles Leclerc of Ferrari temporarily secured the second position, which was soon reclaimed by Hamilton with a 1m31.422s.

Hamilton, a two-time world champion, further improved his time to 1m29.863s, setting a substantial 1.1s gap from Lance Stroll (Aston Martin). However, Ferrari’s Leclerc and Carlos Sainz surpassed him shortly.

Starting the session in 14th place, Perez climbed to third on the hard tyres and improved further to second, pushing Leclerc down a spot.

Williams’ Logan Sargeant was the first to switch to the soft tyres, recording a 1m30.327s and positioning himself third. Sainz, sporting the red-banded tyres, followed and secured the lead with a 1m29.357s time, 0.5s quicker than Verstappen.

Hamilton experienced oversteer issues with his Mercedes, encountering rear grip issues at Club and twitchiness through the apex. Nico Hulkenberg of Haas experienced a similar problem. Russell also struggled with steering and vibrations at Maggotts and Becketts.

Halfway into the session, Leclerc became the second fastest on the soft tyres with a 1m29.418s, leading the Ferrari duo in the session, followed by the Red Bull pair on hard tyres.

Although Leclerc improved his time to 1m29.280s, he couldn’t fend off the Red Bulls. Verstappen regained the lead with a 1m28.836s in his first run on the softer tyre, gaining a 0.4s advantage. Perez then clocked a 1m29.048s, ending the session 0.4s behind his teammate.

Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso finished fourth in his team’s home race, followed by Leclerc in fifth and Ocon in sixth. Sainz, who had his first F1 win at Silverstone last year, finished seventh, just ahead of British favourite Lando Norris (McLaren).

Stroll finished ninth, with Oscar Piastri rounding out the top ten before he encountered a late hydraulic issue with his McLaren.

Full results below:

  1. Max Verstappen, Red Bull, 1’28.600
  2. Sergio Perez, Red Bull, 1’29.048
  3. Alex Albon, Williams, 1’29.089
  4. Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin, 1’29.268
  5. Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, 1’29.280
  6. Esteban Ocon, Alpine, 1’29.319
  7. Carlos Sainz, Ferrari, 1’29.357
  8. Lando Norris, McLaren, 1’29.441
  9. Lance Stroll, Aston Martin, 1’29.471
  10. Oscar Piastri, McLaren, 1’29.658

[VIEW FULL RESULTS]

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about British GP First Practice

Who led the first practice at the F1 British GP?

Max Verstappen led the first practice at the F1 British GP.

Who followed Verstappen in the practice session?

Sergio Perez came second and Alex Albon came third in the practice session.

What significant achievement is Verstappen looking to accomplish?

Verstappen is looking to secure his sixth consecutive victory at Silverstone, an achievement only four other drivers have attained.

Which team celebrated their 800th Grand Prix with a special livery?

Williams celebrated their 800th Grand Prix with a special livery.

Which racer encountered a late hydraulic issue during the practice?

Oscar Piastri of McLaren encountered a late hydraulic issue during the practice.

More about British GP First Practice

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6 comments

RaceJunkie July 7, 2023 - 4:21 pm

So many changes this year, new parts, fresh faces. It’s wild. But Verstappen’s consistency…mad respect.

Reply
SpeedyGonzalez July 8, 2023 - 7:46 am

I’m a lewis fan but max is really showin his mettle. he might just be the new king of the track.

Reply
Nico77 July 8, 2023 - 9:52 am

cant belive Williams is at 800 GPs already! Time flies when ur watchin F1 😀

Reply
F1Fan4Life July 8, 2023 - 10:58 am

wow! verstappen on fire these days. hoping for that 6th straight win! go Max!!

Reply
TurboBoost July 8, 2023 - 12:46 pm

bad luck for piastri with that hydraulic prob…hope it gets fixed for the real race.

Reply
GearheadMike July 8, 2023 - 12:49 pm

anyone notice Hamilton strugglin a bit? Mercedes needs to up their game.

Reply

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