Entering this weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix, one of the biggest storylines in the paddock was how Oscar Piastri would bounce back after his frustrating British Grand Prix. Piastri was running at the front of the field during a Safety Car, but was given a ten-second penalty for suddenly braking, which opened the door for teammate Lando Norris to take the checkered flag in front of him.
Oscar Piastri rockets to the top of the timing sheets in FP1 at the F1 Belgian Grand Prix
After a frustrating British Grand Prix, Oscar Piastri started on the front foot at the Belgian Grand Prix
Photo by Andy Hone/LAT Images
Mark Schofield is a former college quarterback and attorney covering the NFL and F1.
If the only hour of practice this week is any indication, Piastri is going to bounce back just fine.
The Australian driver — and Drivers’ Championship leader — topped the timing sheets with a lap of 1:42.022, more than four-tenths ahead of Max Verstappen, who finished second. Norris, Piastri’s closest rival in the Drivers’ Championship race, was more than half a second off Piastri’s pace, finishing 0.504 seconds behind his McLaren teammate.
Ferrari introduced an upgraded rear suspension at the Belgian Grand Prix, following the introduction of a new floor at the Austrian Grand Prix. Charles Leclerc finished fifth, while Lewis Hamilton finished seventh.
George Russell, who is not losing sleep while rumors persist over his future at Mercedes, finished fourth while teammate Kimi Antonelli split the Ferrari pair in sixth. Aston Martin teammates Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso finished eighth and ninth, while Isack Hadjar rounded out the top ten.
The teams and the drivers will quickly turn things around, as F1 Sprint qualifying gets underway in a few short hours.
Here are the full results from FP1 at the Belgian Grand Prix:
FP1 Results Belgian Grand Prix
Postion | Driver | Team | Time | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | 1:42.022 | N/A |
| 2 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | 1:42.426 | +0.404 |
| 3 | Lando Norris | McLaren | 1:42.526 | +0.504 |
| 4 | George Russell | Mercedes | 1:42.598 | +0.576 |
| 5 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1:42.928 | +0.906 |
| 6 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | 1:42.979 | +0.957 |
| 7 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | 1:43.085 | +1.063 |
| 8 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | 1:43.112 | +1.090 |
| 9 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | 1:43.120 | +1.098 |
| 10 | Isack Hadjar | VCARB | 1:43.122 | +1.100 |
| 11 | Carlos Sainz Jr. | Williams | 1:43.217 | +1.195 |
| 12 | Alex Albon | Williams | 1:43.261 | +1.239 |
| 13 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Sauber | 1:43.262 | +1.240 |
| 14 | Nico Hülkenberg | Sauber | 1:43.470 | +1.446 |
| 15 | Liam Lawson | VCARB | 1:43.478 | +1.456 |
| 16 | Esteban Ocon | Haas | 1:43.570 | +1.548 |
| 17 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | 1:43.929 | +1.907 |
| 18 | Yuki Tsunoda | Red Bull | 1:44.492 | +2.470 |
| 19 | Franco Colapinto | Alpine | 1:44.847 | +2.825 |
| 20 | Oliver Bearman | Haas | 1:45.077 | +3.055 |
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