Practice 1 Report - Verstappen and Red Bull lead Free Practice at Silverstone

By Peter Habicht

Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez were fastest for Red Bull at today’s opening practice from Silverstone, a session which saw teams testing updated aero and gathering tire data in what is expected to be the warmest weather this weekend.

Drivers struggled with grip at times in a relatively uneventful session on the hardest range of compounds from Pirelli. The Williams team is celebrating a milestone with their 800th grand prix this weekend and Alex Albon was third fastest in the session, followed by Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc was fifth fastest ahead of Alpine’s Esteban Ocon and Scuderia teammate Carlos Sainz.

Lando Norris was eighth on the timing sheets in front of Aston’s Lance Stroll and teammate Oscar Piastri.

Nyck de Vries was 11th on the timing sheets for Alpha Tauri ahead of the Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton and Alpine’s Pierre Gasly. The Briton’s teammate George Russell was next quickest, and neither Mercedes driver ran a set of soft tires in the session. The team is running a newer front wing designed to improve low speed cornering this weekend.

Alfa Romeo’s Valtteri Bottas was next fastest ahead of Alpha Tauri’s Yuki Tsunoda and Williams’ Logan Sargeant, with the Finn’s teammate Guanyu Zhou in 18th. Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg were 19th and 20th on the timing sheets.

Free practice two begins at 4pm.