Lando Norris Leads McLaren in British GP Practice One

Lando Norris set the pace for McLaren in a closely contested opening practice session at the British Grand Prix. Following a controversial clash with championship leader Max Verstappen in Austria, the British driver led the way as McLaren opted for soft tires, edging out Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll by a tenth of a second. Norris’ teammate, Oscar Piastri, trailed in third but encountered technical issues that curtailed his involvement.
Max Verstappen, on medium tires, emerged as the quickest among the non-soft tire runners, claiming the fourth spot. Red Bull’s updated RB20 showcased its potential with the Dutch driver at the helm.

George Russell, the beneficiary of the Verstappen-Norris incident in Austria, secured the fifth position for Mercedes, outpacing teammate Lewis Hamilton, who finished seventh. Ferrari continued to face challenges, with Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz in eighth and ninth, respectively. Meanwhile, Yuki Tsunoda’s session was cut short after he beached his car, prompting a brief red flag period. Notably, young driver Oliver Bearman, set to join Haas next season, impressed by finishing 14th.

Despite morning showers, the track conditions allowed for soft tire usage. Attention was drawn to the contrasting tire strategies of McLaren and Red Bull, making it difficult to assess the early advantage. Additionally, an apparent hydraulic issue for Piastri and near-misses involving Norris and Leclerc with other drivers added further intrigue to the session, with stewards reviewing these incidents post-session. The stage is set for an enthralling second practice on Friday, with McLaren, Red Bull, and Mercedes all showing competitive form.

British GP Practice One Timesheet

Driver	Team	Time
1) Lando Norris	McLaren	1:27.420
2) Lance Stroll	Aston Martin	+0.134
3) Oscar Piastri	McLaren	+0.211
4) Max Verstappen	Red Bull	+0.309
5) George Russell	Mercedes	+0.318
6) Fernando Alonso	Aston Martin	+0.374
7) Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes	+0.438
8) Charles Leclerc	Ferrari	+0.483
9) Carlos Sainz	Ferrari	+0.505
10) Esteban Ocon	Alpine	+0.554
11) Nico Hulkenberg	Haas	+0.662
12) Valtteri Bottas	Sauber	+0.834
13) Daniel Ricciardo	RB	+1.057
14) Oliver Bearman	Haas	+1.116
15) Zhou Guanyu	Sauber	+1.170
16) Alex Albon	Williams	+1.229
17) Jack Doohan	Alpine	+1.315
18) Franco Colapinto	Williams	+1.658
19) Isack Hadjar	Red Bull	+1.850
20) Yuki Tsunoda	RB	+2.444