Max fastest in first Mexican free practice
Published on 30 October 2015 by Mike Motilall
Max Verstappen’s name stood proud at the top of the leaderboard after the first free practice in Mexico. On Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, a new track for everybody, the Dutchman noted a 1:25.990 in the closing stages. The Scuderia Torro Rosso-driver, did manage to get four wheels off the course during his fastest lap, but race control did not intervene. But even his second fastest lap time (1:26.147) would have been good enough for the top spot.
When the first free practice starts and the whole Formula 1-field is let loose for the first time on the new track, it is dry with an overcast in Mexico-city. Thanks to an earlier rainshower, the track is still damp and everyone starts on the intermediate compound tyre.
“It is slippery everywhere. It looks like there is oil everywhere on the circuit”, is what Max reports on the radio. “But with the intermediates it is manageable.” Max slips – without further consequences – off track, like many of his peers.
The lap times are improved, minute by minute, as the track keeps getting drier in a quick tempo. After about 25 minutes, the first slick tyres are strapped on and Max also heads out on the slicks. He is tenth. When the session is about halfway, it appears that Max has already mastered the circuit: he does his first 1:30’s, which earns him P4. Shortly he improves to 1:28.744, good enough for P2.
That the tarmac, even though it has dried up completely, is still slippery, is evident by different drivers slipping off everywhere on the track. Regarding attention, Rosberg takes center stage, as he slips off course in a straight line, only to continue with flames pouring out of this rear brakes. A very spectacular sight to see. Thankfully, the fire is extinguished by the wind while driving, by the time he gets back to his Mercedes pit box.
Max keeps improving himself and after het first hour, he is on a 1:27.381, once again the second spot. An innocent little spin shows that he is on the limit and is pushing. With some eight minutes on the clock, the 18-year old driver jumps to P2 again with a 1:26.602. Behind the likes of Daniil Kvyat (Red Bull) and in front of Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari). But things can go faster. With a 1:25.990 and on a scrubbed set of medium tyres, Max puts himself at the top of the leaderboard. Despite taking a bit of the run off area, his time is maintained and Verstappen, for the first time in his budding Formula 1-carreer, is in P1.
That Max also covers 38 laps, the most of any drivers, is a nice bonus. Because every bit of data on this new track is more than welcome. Kvyat and Raikkonen finish the first free practice in second and third, in front of Sebastian Vettel’s Ferrari. Daniel Ricciardo gets P5, in front of Nico Rosberg in the Mercedes.
Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez – Mexican Grand Prix – Friday 30 October 2015
RESULTS FIRST FREE PRACTICE P No Driver Team Time Gap Laps 1 33 Max Verstappen Toro Rosso 1:25.990 38 2 26 Daniil Kvyat Red Bull 1:26.295 +0.305s 27 3 7 Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari 1:26.295 +0.305s 36 4 5 Sebastian Vettel Ferrari 1:26.886 +0.896s 31 5 3 Daniel Ricciardo Red Bull 1:27.185 +1.195s 28 6 6 Nico Rosberg Mercedes 1:27.196 +1.206s 19 7 77 Valtteri Bottas Williams 1:27.303 +1.313s 26 8 55 Carlos Sainz Toro Rosso 1:27.410 +1.420s 37 9 11 Sergio Perez Force India 1:27.581 +1.591s 19 10 19 Felipe Massa Williams 1:27.695 +1.705s 24 11 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1:27.723 +1.733s 27 12 9 Marcus Ericsson Sauber 1:28.498 +2.508s 27 13 13 Pastor Maldonado Lotus 1:28.559 +2.569s 30 14 12 Felipe Nasr Sauber 1:28.579 +2.589s 25 15 30 Jolyon Palmer Lotus 1:28.711 +2.721s 24 16 27 Nico Hulkenberg Force India 1:29.099 +3.109s 17 17 14 Fernando Alonso McLaren 1:30.072 +4.082s 17 18 53 Alexander Rossi Marussia 1:30.619 +4.629s 23 19 22 Jenson Button McLaren 1:32.091 +6.101s 9 20 28 Will Stevens Marussia 1:32.866 +6.876s 11
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