This article was last updated on August 25, 2023
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Max Verstappen Sets Fastest Time in First Practice at Zandvoort GP Weekend
Max Verstappen kicked off his home race weekend in Zandvoort with an impressive performance in the first free practice session. The Dutch driver recorded the fastest time on the challenging dune circuit, with Fernando Alonso coming in second and Lewis Hamilton in third.
Verstappen initially set the pace on the hard tires, holding the fastest time until other drivers switched to the softer compound. While Verstappen spent some time in the pit box, his rivals took advantage and moved up the time sheet. Red Bull teammate Sergio Pérez and Williams driver Logan Sargeant were among the front runners. But it was Verstappen’s run on the soft tires that truly solidified his position at the top.
First Red Flag Interruption by Hülkenberg
However, before Verstappen’s decisive run, the session was briefly interrupted by a red flag caused by Nico Hülkenberg. The German driver slid into the gravel trap with his Haas at the penultimate corner. The marshals swiftly removed Hülkenberg’s car from the track, allowing the session to resume. This weekend marks Hülkenberg’s first Formula 1 appearance at Zandvoort.
Verstappen Shines on Soft Tires
After the track was cleared, Hamilton made his attempt on the soft tires. Verstappen followed suit and immediately set a blistering time of 1:11.853. This impressive lap put him ahead of Alonso by 0.278 seconds and Hamilton by 0.373 seconds. Pérez finished in fourth place, trailing his teammate by nearly half a second.
The strong performances from the Williams drivers were noteworthy. Alexander Albon secured fifth place, while Sargeant ended the session with the seventh fastest time. On the other hand, the Ferrari drivers struggled to make an impression, with Charles Leclerc finishing in sixteenth and Robert Shwartzman, who substituted for an absent driver, in nineteenth. Carlos Sainz will return for the second practice session with the Scuderia.
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