Verstappen opens the party in Austria with Sainz seventh in Free 1

BARCELONA, 8 Jul. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The Dutch driver Max Verstappen (Red Bull) was the fastest this Friday in the first free practice of the Formula 1 Austrian Grand Prix, with a 1:06.302 with which he opened the party at Red Bull's 'home' and beating the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc, with the Spanish Carlos Sainz seventh.

In an electric weekend, with a sprint race and qualifying this Friday afternoon, Verstappen made the delights of his starting orange tide, putting 255 thousandths on Leclerc and 4 tenths on George Russell, from Mercedes.

With a session marked by a single red flag lasting 7 minutes, due to an exit by Lando Norris (McLaren) when he saw smoke in his car -he recorded the worst time and was unable to roll again-, Spielberg welcomed the 'Great Circus' in good weather.

Max Verstappen was the fastest on both medium and soft tyres, and it seems that there will be some equality and rivalry between Red Bull, Ferrari and also Mercedes, as Sergio Pérez was fourth, Lewis Hamilton fifth and Sainz seventh -- being the slowest of Red Bull, Mercedes and Ferrari respectively--.

Through the six pointers, Kevin Magnussen's Haas got into sixth position, 663 thousandths behind Verstappen and a much better time than his teammate Mick Schumacher, ninth. For his part, the Spanish Fernando Alonso was eighth with his Alpine and with medium rubber, without putting the soft compound, faster.

Unlike a regular Grand Prix, this Austrian sprint event will have the qualifying session this afternoon (Q3, Q2 and Q1 as always) to, on Saturday, experience the free seconds and the sprint race (4:30 p.m.) to , on Sunday, the long race at 3:00 p.m.