Mercedes rules in the contact with Zandvoort and Sainz finishes third

Verstappen was barely able to ride due to a mechanical problem and Alonso finished eighth

MADRID, 2 Sep. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The British driver George Russell (Mercedes) dominated the first free practice session of the Dutch Grand Prix, the fifteenth round of the Formula 1 World Championship, ahead of his teammate Lewis Hamilton, a session in which the Spanish Carlos Sainz (Ferrari ) and Fernando Alonso (Alpine) finished third and eighth and in which leader Max Verstappen (Red Bull) was barely able to lap due to a gearbox problem.

On an orange-tinted Zandvoort circuit, the local hero's car came to a halt in the middle of the track after only completing seven laps, as timid smoke billowed from the rear of the car. Fears of engine failure were dispelled when it was revealed that the incident had been caused by a gearbox problem.

Meanwhile, without the defending champion, activity resumed on the track, where Alonso led the time table in his first laps on the soft tyres. Sainz also climbed to the top before the halfway point of the session, although the 'silver arrows', who were still running on the hard compound, had not said the last word about him.

The Mexican Sergio 'Checo' Pérez (Red Bull) flirted with the wall in search of unseating the man from Madrid, who was able to overcome a Russell who already with the soft was placed first with a time of 1:12.455 that finally earned him to dominate the first training.

Hamilton was able to approach two tenths and concluded the session in second position, along with a Sainz who stayed a little less than four tenths and with whom he had a 'scare' in the final stretch, when the Spanish came back and almost collided with the British, who instead of moving away in the middle of the curve ended up getting inside.

The McLarens, meanwhile, joined the party with Lando Norris and Australian Daniel Ricciardo completing the 'Top 5'; The British also starred in the tense action of the day with the German Sebastian Vettel (Aston Martin) when they were about to touch each other in a curve. "Is this guy stupid?" the Englishman came to say on the radio.

Alonso, meanwhile, finished eighth behind the Monegasque Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) and 'Checo' Pérez, more than a second (1,178) behind the leader of the day.