The Dutchman Max Verstappen (Red Bull) set the best time on Friday in the second free practice session at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit, home of the Belgian Grand Prix, within the framework of the twelfth date of the Formula 1 World Championship, despite the fact that, three minutes from the end, he lost the rear of his car, sustaining damage to the rear when hitting the tire barrier.
Verstappen achieved the best mark of the day with a time of 1m44s472, while the Finn Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes) finished in second place and his teammate, Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) arrived in third position.
Meanwhile, the fourth place was for the Spanish Fernando Alonso (Alpine)While in fifth place the Frenchman Pierre Gasly (AlphaTauri) completed the first five positions. In addition, sixth was Lance Stroll (Aston Martin), seventh Esteban Ocon (Alpine), eighth Sebastian Vettel (Aston Martin), ninth Lando Norris (McLaren) and Sergio Pérez (Red Bull) closed the top ten.
Ferraris failed to enter the top ten although Carlos Sainz finished eleventh, while Charles Leclerc, who also had a hit with his car, finished in eighteenth place.. The activity will resume this Saturday with the third free practice session and will continue with the classification that will define the starting grid of the competition.
Bottas, in the first rehearsal
The Finn was the fastest in the first trial of the day in the restart of the Formula 1 World Championship season, after the summer break and on a wet track in which he placed himself at the top of the table with a time of 1m45s199. The second place went to Verstappen (Red Bull), while in third place was Pierre Gasly (AlphaTauri), fourth was Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) and fifth Carlos Sainz (Ferrari). Meanwhile, Sergio Pérez (Red Bull) was sixth, while Sebastian Vettel (Aston Martin) finished seventh, Lando Norris (Mc Laren) eighth, Esteban Ocon (Alpine) ninth and Fernando Alonso (Alpine) tenth.
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