2023-08-25 12:35:13
Published on August 25, 2023 at 2:35 p.m. Aurélie Sacchelli
At home, double world champion Max Verstappen set the fastest time in the first free practice session of the Dutch Grand Prix. The Red Bull driver was ahead of Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) and Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes).
It’s back to school time for Formula 1 drivers! A month following the Belgian Grand Prix, the paddock is in the Netherlands this weekend, near Zandvoort, for the fourteenth round of the season. And the summer break has obviously not disturbed the double world champion and winner of the last eight races, Max Verstappen, who set the fastest time in the first free practice session. In front of his stormy crowd, the Red Bull driver completed one of his 31 laps in 1’11″852, to beat two other former world champions : Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) by 278 thousandths and Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) by 373. Kevin Magnussen, confirmed Thursday at Haas for the 2024 season (just like his teammate Nico Hülkenberg), who set the first best time of the session, before being quickly erased by Max Verstappen. George Russell (Mercedes), then Verstappen once more, then settled at the top of the timesheet. Halfway through the session, Logan Sargeant (Williams), under pressure for this second half of the season following missing his first few months in F1, was the first to fall below 1’13, but was doubled in stride by Sergio Perez (Red Bull).
The Alpines in the middle of the peloton
The session was then interrupted for eight minutes, following Hülkenberg’s exit from the track at turn 13, fortunately without gravity. And finally, eight minutes from the end of the session, Max Verstappen came to set the best time, on his soft tyres. On the French side, no miracle on the side of Alpine, which experienced a turbulent summer with the departure of its leaders: Estebon Ocon signed the 10th time and Pierre Gasly the 12th, regarding a second behind Verstappen. Note that Lance Stroll (Aston Martin), victim of an infection and seen with a bandage on his left ear, only completed two laps, not timed, before returning to the pits due to a problem. on his single seater. He finished last, just behind the Israeli Robert Schwartzman (soon to be 24), who replaced Carlos Sainz Jr at the wheel of the Ferrari for this session (each team must allow its rookie drivers to complete two sessions during the season) . Ferrari in difficulty, since Charles Leclerc might not do better than 16th.
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