The three-time champion leads the only free practice sessions of the United States GP ahead of Leclerc and Hamilton
Aston Martin, which debuts important updates this weekend, has suffered a brake cooling failure in Alonso and Stroll’s cars
Max Verstappen has started at the front in the United States GP. After becoming champion two weeks ago in Qatar, the Dutch driver is looking for his 50th victory in Formula 1 this weekend and seeing the performance of the RB19 in the demanding Circuit of the Americas in Austin, it does not seem that he will have problems achieving its objective. Max waited for the last seven minutes of the only free practice of the weekend to mount the soft tire and set the best time (1.35.912), his first and only reference before tackling the battle for pole tonight (23: 00 hours).
After Verstappen have been located Leclerc (Ferrari), hamilton (Mercedes) and his partner Czech Pereztaking the first four positions. Kevin Magnussen, With a completely renewed Haas, he has entered the provisional ‘top five’. Carlos Sainz He ended up relegated to eighth position after making a mistake in the third sector during his flying lap, although according to the Scuderia’s estimates the Spaniard was in similar times to Leclerc.
Bad start for Aston Martin
Aston Martin incorporates four major updates to its car in the United States. Those at Silverstone have revised the geometry of the ground boundary by placing a longitudinal cut and an outer wing. The diffuser, engine cover and beam wing profile have also been modified. Important changes that had to be tested in a single free session. And things have started badly for the team.
As soon as they took to the track, the brake cooling system of Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso’s cars overheated. and the team had to call both drivers to the pits. The ‘drama’ was greater for Stroll, who missed the rest of the session, while Alonso lost only fifteen minutes and was able to complete the training without further incidents.
In any case, it has not been the ideal start for the British, who have focused on improving the AMR23 in this final stretch of the season to try to contain McLaren, which is only eleven points behind in the fight for fourth place in the World Championship. of builders.
Precisely Alonso (hard), Norris and Piastri (medium) have been the only drivers who have not fitted the soft tires and hence the three have ended up relegated to the last positions.
United States GP. Free 1:
1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) 1’35″912
2. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) at 0″156
3. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) at 0″281
4. Sergio Pérez (Red Bull) at 0″300
5. Kevin Magnussen (Haas) at 0″560
6. George Russell (Mercedes) at 0″562
7. Alexander Albon (Williams) at 0″580
8. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) at 0″621
9. Nico Hülkenberg (Haas) at 0″790
10. Pierre Gasly (Alpine) at 00″793
11. Logan Sargeant (Williams) at 1″075
12. Esteban Ocon (Alpine) at 1″154
13. Yuki Tsunoda (AlphaTauri) at 1″192
14. Daniel Ricciardo (AlphaTauri) at 1″240
15. Lando Norris (McLaren) at 1″344
16. Gyanyu Zhou (Alfa Romeo) at 1″506
17. Valtteri Bottas (Alfa Romeo) at 1.605
18. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) at 1″928
19. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)a 2″608
20. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) at 4″028