Max second in Sochi FP1
Published on 28 September 2018 by Stefan Meens
Aston Martin Red Bull Racing driver Max Verstappen started his Russian Grand Prix weekend with a second place in the opening practice session. Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari) was quickest around the Sochi Autodrom on Friday morning. The Silver Arrows of Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas were third and fourth fastest in their Mercedes.
Max, using a new B-spec Renault power-unit this weekend, opened his session with the customary installation lap. Soon after, the youngster heads out for his first run. He opts to do so on the softest Pirelli tyre available, the hyper-soft.
Although Mercedes starts the session on the harder, ultra-soft compound, the reigning world champions set the pace with Hamilton leading the way in the first half of the session.
An hour into the session, Ferrari moves to the front with Sebastian Vettel setting the quickest lap of the morning (1:34.488). The German achieves his fastest effort on the hyper-soft tyres.
Max’ best time - 1:34.5 - is clocked with twenty minutes to go, also on the hyper-softs. It grants the Dutchman P2. In the closing stages, the 20-year-old loses the rear of his RB14, but he is able the catch it and continue without any issues. In total, Max laps the Sochi circuit 20 times in FP1, all on the hyper-soft compound.
Russian GP contest: win a Red Bull Racing 2018 softshell!
Results first free practice Russia:
| pos | driver | team | time | gap | laps | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sebastian Vettel | VET | Ferrari | 1:34.488 | 19 | |
| 2 | Max Verstappen | VER | Red Bull Racing TAG Heuer | 1:34.538 | +0.050s | 22 |
| 3 | Lewis Hamilton | HAM | Mercedes | 1:34.818 | +0.330s | 23 |
| 4 | Valteri Bottas | BOT | Mercedes | 1:34.999 | +0.511s | 28 |
| 5 | Daniel Ricciardo | RIC | Red Bull Racing TAG Heuer | 1:35.524 | +1.036s | 11 |
| 6 | Esteban Ocon | OCO | Force India Mercedes | 1:35.663 | +1.175s | 24 |
| 7 | Kimi Räikkönen | RAI | Ferrari | 1:35.696 | +1.208s | 19 |
| 8 | Kevin Magnussen | MAG | Haas Ferrari | 1:36.196 | +1.708s | 21 |
| 9 | Nico Hulkenberg | HUL | Renault | 1:36.274 | +1.786s | 18 |
| 10 | Antonio Giovinazzi | GIO | Sauber Ferrari | 1:36.712 | +2.224s | 22 |
| 11 | Romain Grosjean | GRO | Haas Ferrari | 1:36.816 | +2.328s | 23 |
| 12 | Pierre Gasly | GAS | Scuderia Toro Rosso Honda | 1:36.944 | +2.456s | 25 |
| 13 | Lando Norris | NOR | McLaren Renault | 1:37.022 | +2.534s | 25 |
| 14 | Charles Leclerc | LEC | Sauber Ferrari | 1:37.054 | +2.566s | 24 |
| 15 | Artem Markelov | MAR | Renault | 1:37.183 | +2.695s | 22 |
| 16 | Stoffel Vandoorne | VAN | McLaren Renault | 1:37.187 | +2.699s | 27 |
| 17 | Nicholas Latifi | LAT | Force India Mercedes | 1:37.206 | +2.718s | 24 |
| 18 | Sergey Sirotkin | SIR | Williams Mercedes | 1:37.225 | +2.737s | 25 |
| 19 | Brendon Hartley | HAR | Scuderia Toro Rosso Honda | 1:37.944 | +3.456s | 28 |
| 20 | Lance Stroll | STR | Williams Mercedes | 1:39.137 | +4.649s | 13 |
