F1 FP1 Results have gone in favour of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, but the bigger story is of Nico Hulkenberg making a sensational return.
The Formula One 2020 fourth race weekend is underway with the first Free Practice session at Silverstone in the British Grand Prix. This race weekend is all about Sergio Perez, as he tested positive for the coronavirus on Thursday.
He has subsequently been ruled of the double-header at Silverstone, as he in a mandatory 10-day quarantine. There were rumors that Racing Point & Mercedes reserve driver Esteban Gutierrez will take Sergio Perez’s place this weekend.
But Racing Point pulled off an unexpected move and brought in their former driver Niko Hulkenberg. Notably, the Perez-Niko partnership is considered to be the best in the Force India/Racing Point era.
On the FP1 standings, it was Red Bull’s Max Verstappen who finished top, with Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton and Racing Point’s Lance Stroll making up the Top 3.
Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel torrid last season at Ferrari continues, as he crashed out of FP1 with a “No Time” classification. To make it worse, Ferrari teams are not expected to do well in the low-downforce Silverstone circuit.
The other two Ferrari teams on the grid are Haas and Alfa Romeo, who will have to work their way out to make it to Q2 in qualifying tomorrow.
Racing Point’s returning boy Hulkenberg was ninth fastest, as he bids to show what F1 had been missing without him.
F1 FP1 Results
- Max Verstappen – Red Bull Racing 1:27.422
- Lewis Hamilton – Mercedes +0.474
- Lance Stroll – Racing Point +0.582
- Alex Albon – Red Bull Racing +0.707
- Charles Leclerc – Ferrari +0.799
- Valtteri Bottas – Mercedes +1.097
- Esteban Ocon – Renault +1.137
- Daniel Ricciardo – Renault +1.153
- Nico Hulkenburg – Racing Point +1.170
- Daniil Kvyat – Alpha Tauri +1.446
- Pierre Gasly – Alpha Tauri +1.487
- Lando Norris – McLaren +1.568
- Carlos Sainz – McLaren +1.669
- Kevin Magnussen – Haas +2.110
- Romain Grosjean – Haas +2.154
- Kimi Raikkonen – Alfa Romeo +2.477
- George Russell – Williams +2.503
- Antonio Giovinazzi – Alfa Romeo +2.553
- Nicholas Latifi – Williams +3.281
- Sebastian Vettel – Ferrari DNS
What to look forward to this weekend at Silverstone?
Mercedes finally seem to have competition, with Red Bull showing the pace they possess. Max Verstappen would do well to break Mercedes’s streak of 3 wins this season.
Elsewhere, there seems to be a strong battle between Racing Point, McLaren and Renault, especially with Ferrari struggling. The qualifying sessions take place tomorrow, with the Final Race on Sunday at the British Grand Prix.
