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. 

Photo: Getty Images/Red Bull Content Pool

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.

POS	NO	DRIVER	CAR	TIME	GAP	LAPS
1	1	Max Verstappen	Red Bull Racing Honda RBPT	1:43.372		23
2	81	Oscar Piastri	McLaren Mercedes	1:43.903	+0.531s	23
3	23	Alexander Albon	Williams Mercedes	1:44.099	+0.727s	20
4	63	George Russell	Mercedes	1:44.225	+0.853s	22
5	44	Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes	1:44.279	+0.907s	20
6	16	Charles Leclerc	Ferrari	1:44.306	+0.934s	24
7	11	Sergio Perez	Red Bull Racing Honda RBPT	1:44.329	+0.957s	21
8	4	Lando Norris	McLaren Mercedes	1:44.415	+1.043s	23
9	55	Carlos Sainz	Ferrari	1:44.574	+1.202s	23
10	18	Lance Stroll	Aston Martin Aramco Mercedes	1:44.699	+1.327s	20
11	10	Pierre Gasly	Alpine Renault	1:44.833	+1.461s	21
12	14	Fernando Alonso	Aston Martin Aramco Mercedes	1:44.921	+1.549s	19
13	3	Daniel Ricciardo	RB Honda RBPT	1:44.950	+1.578s	22
14	77	Valtteri Bottas	Kick Sauber Ferrari	1:45.155	+1.783s	20
15	2	Logan Sargeant	Williams Mercedes	1:45.311	+1.939s	19
16	22	Yuki Tsunoda	RB Honda RBPT	1:45.564	+2.192s	22
17	27	Nico Hulkenberg	Haas Ferrari	1:45.645	+2.273s	18
18	20	Kevin Magnussen	Haas Ferrari	1:45.812	+2.440s	18
19	24	Zhou Guanyu	Kick Sauber Ferrari	1:45.995	+2.623s	22
20	31	Esteban Ocon	Alpine Renault