2024 Belgian Grand Prix: Verstappen Dominates First Practice

Max Verstappen dominated Free Practice One at the 2024 Belgian Grand Prix, as the Dutchman was half a second quicker than Oscar Piastri in second place. Alex Albon showed some surprising pace, going third quickest.

Esteban Ocon was told to pit after they spotted a water leak issue on his out-lap, and he failed to get back onto track for the rest of the session

Daniel Ricciardo had a spin at La Source after touching the kerb on the exit of the corner. The Australian managed to avoid the barrier and get going on the hard tyre. 

After ten minutes of the session, Max Verstappen was at the top of the timesheets ahead of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, with Lewis Hamilton just behind in fourth. The Scuderia Ferrari drivers then went fourth and fifth as they look to try and challenge at the front again after a difficult few race weekends. 

George Russell was the first soft tyre runner and went top of the times, before Verstappen moved back to the top. Pérez was the next driver to set a quick lap but the Mexican was almost a second behind his teammate. Ricciardo went seventh fastest, setting a purple sector one and almost seven tenths quicker than Yuki Tsunoda, who will start from the back of the grid on Sunday. 

Albonraised a few eyebrows and went third, going fastest in sector one and sector two. Verstappen, Piastri and Albon remained as the top three as the teams went into high fuel race pace runs.

Russell and Hamilton were fourth and fifth at the end of the session, ahead of Leclerc in sixth. Pérez had a tough session, ending almost a second behind his teammate on a crucial weekend for his future. Norris was eight, with Carlos Sainz Jr. and Lance Stroll rounding out the top ten.

Pierre Gasly was eleventh, with Fernando Alonso and Ricciardo close behind. Valtteri Bottas is running some new upgrades this weekend for Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber and ended first practice in fourteenth ahead of Logan Sargeant.

Tsunoda was quite a way back from Ricciardo, finishing down in sixteenth ahead of both MoneyGram Haas F1 Team drivers, with Nico Hülkenberg ahead of Kevin Magnussen. Zhou Guanyu was nineteenth, ahead of only Ocon, who didn’t set a time.