The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Verstappen dominant in British Grand Prix first practice session
Max Verstappen continued his fine form by dominating first practice for the British Grand Prix.
The championship leader finished seven tenths faster than Mclaren’s Lando Norris with Lewis Hamilton third.
Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc took fourth ahead of Hamilton’s team-mate Valtteri Bottas who finished fifth in the other Mercedes.
Hamilton trails Verstappen by 32 points in his bid for a recordbreaking eighth world title.
He was blown away by Verstappen in the only running ahead of qualifying yesterday evening before 86,000 spectators.
Qualifying, which is usually on a Saturday, will set the grid for today’s maiden Sprint race.
However, on the evidence of practice, Hamilton could struggle to stop Verstappen from taking the spoils.
The Dutchman, winner of four of the past five rounds as he pursues his first championship, ended the running an eye-watering 0.780 seconds ahead of Hamilton.
“Seven tenths, where has that come from?” said a beleaguered Hamilton over the radio.
Mclaren’s Norris split the championship protagonists while Carlos Sainz recovered from an early spin to finish sixth and was the only other driver within a second of Verstappen’s blisteringly quick lap.
Aston Martin driver Sebastian Vettel finished seventh, while Williams’ George Russell propped up the order at his home event.