Results & Report First Free Practice 2023 British F1 GP

Event: British F1 Grand Prix
Track: Silverstone circuit

Max Verstappen driving the Red Bull Racing RB19 on track during practice ahead of the 2023 F1 Grand Prix of Great Britain at Silverstone

Weather: dry  23°C
Tarmac: dry  40°C
Humidity: 44%
Wind: 4 km/h SW
Pressure: 999 mbar

Red Bulls Dominate as McLaren Showcases Upgrades

Overview

On a bright sunny day, the historic Silverstone Circuit came alive with the roar of Formula 1 engines as the first practice session (FP1) for the 2023 British Grand Prix kicked off. There was excitement in the air, and the live feed presented numerous insights into the teams’ preparations and challenges.

Red Bull's Strong Performance

The Red Bull team appeared to be in stellar form. Max Verstappen, whose incredible run this season continues, set the fastest lap time with a blistering 1:28.600. Sergio Perez, his teammate, was not far behind, securing the second position with a time of 1:28.600 + 0.448.

Halfway first practice the top 10 order was: 1. Sainz - 1:29.357 (S), 2. Verstappen +0.506 (H), 3. Pérez +0.673 (H), 4. Sargeant +0.970 (S), 5. Leclerc +1.280 (M), 6. Stroll +1.407 (M), 7. Zhou +1.529 (M), 8. Tsunoda +1.580 (M), 9. Albon +1.596 (M) and 10. Hamilton +1.677 (H).

McLaren Eyes on Norris and Piastri

As the session progressed, attention shifted towards McLaren, especially after the promising performance in Spielberg. Lando Norris, who secured P4 in Austria, was under the spotlight. The upgrades that assisted Norris in Spielberg were also installed on Oscar Piastri’s car. Unfortunately, Piastri's session was hampered by a hydraulic leak that left his car raised on jacks. McLaren CEO Zak Brown lauded the work of the McLaren team on the updates and expressed hope in their performance at Silverstone.

George Russell's Challenge & Mercedes Struggles

Mercedes, on the other hand, faced some struggles. George Russell communicated via radio about his car's issues in turns 6 and 7. Furthermore, Lewis Hamilton expressed dissatisfaction with the car's grip and balance. Both drivers seemed to be having a bumpy ride at the iconic Maggots and Becketts section.

Glimpses of Speed: Albon and Perez

In the middle of the session, Alex Albon took everyone by surprise as he catapulted himself to the second-fastest position before being overtaken by Sergio Perez. Impressively, Albon showed he had the highest speed on the straights, even faster than Verstappen and Perez.

Incidents & Anomalies

During the session, a double yellow flag was waved in sector 3 due to an unidentified piece falling off Nico Hulkenberg's Haas car. Furthermore, the session saw a rather bizarre incident with Sergio Perez running over what seemed like a bin bag that had blown onto the track.

Nyck de Vries also had a heart-stopping moment when his car wound up in the gravel at Turn 7. Fortunately, he managed to keep the car moving and rejoined the track.

Looking Ahead

With FP2 later in the day, teams had their work cut out to make the necessary adjustments. Red Bull seemed dominant, but with Silverstone’s challenging high-speed corners, and teams like McLaren looking hungry, the stage is set for an enthralling weekend.

Furthermore, Pirelli's decision to bring the C1, C2, and C3 tire options, coupled with a new tire construction, could have a significant impact on strategies.

Final Words

The first practice session at Silverstone had its share of thrills and spills. The performance of Red Bull was imposing, but the competition looks fierce. Teams will need to fine-tune their strategies and cars to tackle the challenges that Silverstone poses. This weekend promises to be an absolute classic.

The quickest sector times this FP1 where:

1. 28.057 sec. by Max Verstappen (Red Bull RB19)
2. 35.994 sec. by Max Verstappen (Red Bull RB19)
3. 24.459 sec. by Max Verstappen (Red Bull RB19)

Last year the quickest lap time of FP1 was a 1:42,249 min, driven by Valtteri Bottas in a Alfa Romeo on wet track.

FP1 Times Table 2023 British GP

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