2023-10-20 18:38:00
(Motorsport-Total.com) – Business as usual for Max Verstappen (Red Bull): The world champion started the Formula 1 weekend in Austin with a best time. The Dutchman drove a 1:35.912 in the first (and only) free practice session and thus secured the best time.
Max Verstappen secured the best time in the first training session
However, his lead was manageable. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari/+0.156) was relatively close behind. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes/+0.281) came third ahead of Verstappen’s teammate Sergio Perez (Red Bull/+0.300).
The big question, however, is how things are going with McLaren. Neither Lando Norris (+1.344) nor Oscar Piastri (+2.508) put on the soft C4 tires in FT1 and therefore only ended up in positions 15 and 19. The true McLaren pace is therefore a big question mark before qualifying.
Things are looking good for Haas: The US team brought a big update to the home race, which brought Kevin Magnussen (+0.560) into fifth place ahead of George Russell (Mercedes/+0.562). Teammate Nico Hülkenberg (+0.790) also ended up in the top 10 in ninth place.
Williams also left a good impression, with Alexander Albon (+0.580) and Logan Sargeant (+1.075) taking seventh and eleventh positions. Albon left behind, among others, Carlos Sainz (+0.621) in the Ferrari. Pierre Gasly (Alpine/+0.793) completed the top 10 in tenth place.
Daniel Ricciardo (AlphaTauri/+1.240) came in 14th on his comeback following an injury break, finishing directly behind his teammate Yuki Tsunoda (+1.192). “He felt comfortable in the car and I hope that his hand will hold,” explains team boss Franz Tost Sky.
Problems are slowing down Aston Martin
Lance Stroll (+4,028) faces a mammoth task. The Canadian only managed five laps before he had to bring his Aston Martin back to the pits with a problem with the front left brake.
Because the defect might not be repaired in time, Stroll ended the session early – and now has to go into qualifying with almost no training. Teammate Fernando Alonso’s car was also checked, but the Spaniard was then able to continue driving.
Alonso (+1.928) also only ended up in P18, but like the McLaren drivers, he didn’t set his fastest lap time on the soft tires. The two-time world champion should also have something up his sleeve for qualifying.
Piastri moment of shock in turn 9
Piastri had the biggest shock moment of the training. The McLaren driver came off the track following turn 9, but was just able to prevent a spin and continue driving. Other than that, there were no major incidents.
The pilots had to struggle with the usual “Austin problems”. Specifically, on the Circuit of The Americas these are primarily the track limits and the bumps. The asphalt has been an issue on the track in Texas for years.
“The car jumps a lot on the straights,” reported Ferrari driver Sainz, for example, and it was also evident in other cars during the course of training that the drivers were shaken quite a bit.
It is impossible to say exactly how often the track limits were exceeded because no lap times are deleted during training. This only happens from qualifying onwards. If that had already been the case in FT1, several drivers would have lost at least one time…
Where can you watch the US Grand Prix live?
For hardcore Formula 1 fans, the day doesn’t end with the end of the TV broadcast. Late at night there is the daily F1 show on the Formula1.de YouTube channel with analysis by Kevin Scheuren and Kevin Hermann. This begins on Saturday night at 2:00 a.m, on Sunday night at 2:30 a.m and on the night of Sunday to Monday at 2:00 a.m. (Become a channel member now and join in the live chat and ask questions!)
Viewers from Germany can only watch the US Grand Prix live on Sky. The F1 sprint starts on Saturday evening at midnight German time. Sky Sport F1 HD starts broadcasting at 11 p.m. Sunday’s Grand Prix starts at 9:00 p.m., with live previews starting at 7:30 p.m. (Click here for the complete TV overview for the Formula 1 weekend in Austin!)
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