Max Verstappen (Red Bull) began dominating the F1 British Grand Prix with pleasure, even if it was only a Friday practice session. The two-time Dutch champion left his teammate Checo Pérez, second, at 4 tenths, and the first non-Red Bull, Alex Albon (Williams), at 489 thousandths, in the first free trial at Silverstone.
At Aston Martin’s home, Fernando Alonso recovered from a bad start to the day with the fourth best time, 668 thousandths behind Verstappen, just ahead of the Ferraris, Charles Leclerc fifth and Carlos Sainz, seventh.
The Maranello team left good feelings in Austria and now in Great Britain they started taking the initiative with the soft ones… until Verstappen finally appeared. “It seems that we have found the way again in which to develop this car,” said Carlos Sainz.
Until the last 10 minutes of the preparatory session, Fernando Alonso signed a discreet 17th time, 1.4s behind the fastest of the day. The Asturian could not ride assiduously as Aston Martin made changes to the AM23, such as a new rear wing.
He reappeared on the track with 10 minutes left on the clock, wearing soft tires, and took second place, 4 tenths behind Verstappen. The speed of the Aston Martin was not bad. Although immediately after, Albon’s Williams slipped through.
Verstappen applied the usual strategy of a Friday: roll and roll to get a good race rhythm on the hard tire (with which he was among the first), and mount the soft only at the end to give his shot of authority. The Dutchman, with the red rubber, took the lead in his first lap, taking 4 tenths of a second off Leclerc, who set the benchmark with the soft one.
A good slap in the face that the champion extended in successive laps, leaving the pursuers behind by more than half a second: Alonso, fourth, at 668 thousandths, the Monegasque at 690 thousandths and Sainz, seventh, at 757. A sovereign beating, with equal tires , to begin to deter rivals.
