formula 1
Verstappen sets best time in training in Spa
Best time in training: Max Verstappen. photo
© Dirk Waem/BELGA/dpa
World champion Max Verstappen drove the fastest lap of the day in practice for the Formula 1 race in Belgium.
World champion Max Verstappen drove the fastest lap of the day in practice for the Formula 1 race in Belgium.
In Spa-Francorchamps, the Dutch Red Bull driver distanced Charles Leclerc, second in the Ferrari championship, by more than eight tenths of a second. Third in the Ardennes was Lando Norris in a McLaren. However, all three drivers have to queue at the start of the race on Sunday because engine components on their cars were illegally swapped out.
Haas driver Mick Schumacher, Alpine’s Esteban Ocon and Alfa Romeo’s Valtteri Bottas also received grid position penalties. Despite a package of innovations to his racing car, Schumacher finished last in practice. Sebastian Vettel finished 15th in the Aston Martin. In the overall World Cup standings, defending champion Verstappen is already 80 points ahead of Leclerc.