Verstappen sets pace at Belgian GP practice

‘POSITIVE START’

Max Verstappen set the pace at the top of the Formula One time sheets for Red Bull despite bringing an early halt to Friday’s Belgian Grand Prix practice after a spin into the barriers.

The Dutchman had already lapped the seven-kilometre long Spa-francorchamps track in one minute, 44.472 seconds, edging out Valtteri Bottas and title rival Lewis Hamilton, when the sylvan sweeps of the forested track caught him out.

“It’s finished,” the 23-yearold said in frustration over the team radio from the cockpit of his Red Bull, which spun backwards into the barriers.

The incident brought out the red flags and, with only two minutes left on the clock, race control decided not to resume the session.

Television replays showed the Dutchman clearing advertising banners that had become entangled in his Red Bull’s rear wing. But the contact with the barriers did not appear to have caused damage to Verstappen’s car, which could have proved costly in his hard-fought title battle with Hamilton.

The Dutchman instead hailed Friday as a “positive start.”

“A few things to fine-tune from first practice to second practice and overall been very happy,” said Verstappen.

“I think definitely a very positive start.”

Verstappen is locked in a tense battle for the title with seven-time champion Hamilton. The Dutchman heads into the weekend looking to revive his challenge after seeing a 33-point lead in the overall standings turn into an eight-point deficit to his Mercedes rival in just two races.

With third-place Hamilton just 0.072 seconds off Verstappen’s pace, and Bottas carrying a five-place grid penalty for triggering the startline crash at the last race in Hungary, Friday’s practice teased the prospect of another hard-fought tussle between the pair.

Spa’s capricious weather, with rain forecast for Sunday, could add even more spice to the battle.