Max Verstappen dominated the first practice session for the Belgian Grand Prix, setting a time half a second faster than his closest competitor, Oscar Piastri. Despite a ten-place grid penalty looming due to a new power unit, the Dutchman’s pace was undeniable in Belgian GP 2024 practice 1.
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Belgian GP 2024 Practice 1: Session Highlights
Early Drama
- The FP1 session got underway at 13:30 local time with George Russell leading the field out onto a dry track.
- Drama unfolded just minutes later when Daniel Ricciardo spun at La Source, narrowly escaping a collision with the barriers..
Issues in the Pits
- Esteban Ocon’s FP1 session was cut short when his Alpine, sporting a striking Deadpool & Wolverine livery, was brought back to the garage for investigation. The car was hoisted on jacks, suggesting a potential water leak issue.
Setting the Pace
- Max Verstappen wasted no time in setting the early pace, posting a 1:44.550 on the hard compound tire. Mercedes drivers George and Lewis followed closely behind. The Silver Arrows will be hoping for a drop in temperature to unleash the full potential of their W15.
Belgian GP 2024 Practice 1 Results
| Position | Driver | Team | Time |
| 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull Racing | 1:43.372 |
| 2 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | +0.531s |
| 3 | Alexander Albon | Williams | +0.727s |
| 4 | George Russell | Mercedes | +0.853s |
| 5 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | +0.907s |
| 6 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | |
| 7 | Sergio Perez | Red Bull Racing | |
| 8 | Lando Norris | McLaren | |
| 9 | Carlos Sainz | Ferrari | |
| 10 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin |
Mid-Session Developments
After a quiet spell, the track came alive as drivers opted for soft tires to hunt down faster lap times. Russell enjoyed a momentary taste of glory before Verstappen’s pace proved insurmountable, as he regained the top spot with an impressive eight-tenths of a second advantage.
Belgian GP 2024: Grid Penalties and Technical Issues
Verstappen’s FP1 dominance was overshadowed by the news that both he and Yuki Tsunoda will face grid penalties this weekend due to new power unit components. Despite the looming setback, the Dutchman’s pace was simply untouchable. Meanwhile, Fernando Alonso expressed concerns about his Aston Martin’s performance, questioning his engineer about the car’s lack of speed in the opening sector.
Additional Positions:
- Sergio Perez endured a difficult FP1, finishing seventh after encountering handling issues with his RB20.
- Pierre Gasly secured eleventh for Alpine, with Fernando Alonso close behind in twelth.
- Daniel Ricciardo, Valtteri Bottas, and Logan Sargeant completed the midfield in positions thirteen to fifteen respectively.
- Yuki Tsunoda followed in sixteenth, ahead of the Haas duo of Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen.
- Zhou Guanyu brought up the rear for Alfa Romeo.Esteban Ocon was unable to resume the session following his earlier mechanical problems.
With FP1 completed, teams and drivers will now debrief and prepare for the second practice session scheduled for 17:00 local time.
