Max Verstappen fastest as Alex Albon stars for Williams on Friday in Silverstone
Max Verstappen continues to hold the reigns of the 2023 Formula One season, setting the pace in both practice sessions on Friday at the British Grand Prix.
Max Verstappen and Alex Albon in the Formula One paddock. (File / Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool)
“I think it was quite a good day for us," said Verstappen.
"It was a little slippery in the beginning but that’s due to the high pressures that we are running on the tyres. Of course, that is the same for everyone, but it makes it a bit more difficult in the low speed."
"I think in general the car has been performing really well so we can be happy with that. The performance has also been strong in both sessions and we could complete our programme.”
In dry and windy conditions, teams unveiled a raft of updates ahead of Free Practice 1, with the session turning into more of a test event as they also trialled Pirelli's updated tyres.
Verstappen went fastest with a lap of 1:28.600 ahead of teammate Sergio Perez, with Alex Albon third-fastest ahead of Fernando Alonso.
Albon's pace was impressive, just four hundredths of a second behind Perez's Red Bull.
Max Verstappen on track during practice on Friday at Silverstone. (Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool)
The afternoon session was much the same, with Sainz setting the early lap before Verstappen returned to the top of the time sheets.
The session finished with the double world champion ahead of Sainz by just two hundredths of a second, with Alex Albon not far behind as he continued to show impressive speed in his Williams.
"The long runs felt good as well so it’s pretty positive," said Verstappen.
"From our side we want to improve the car ahead of qualifying tomorrow but overall, it’s been a strong day"
The second Red Bull of Perez was fourth in Free Practice 2, with Logan Sargeant completing the top five, proving that it was not just Albon with pace in the Williams stable.
It was a quiet but successful day for Australian Oscar Piastri, tenth in FP1 before setting the ninth-fastest lap in FP2.
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