Spielberg bei Knittelfeld (Austria) (AFP)
Dutchman Max Verstappen (Red Bull) posted the best time of the 2nd free practice session of the Grand Prix of Styria, 2nd round of the Formula 1 World Championship, Friday on the Red Bull Ring (4.318 km) of Spielberg ( Austria).
He was ahead of the Mercedes by the Finn Valtteri Bottas by 43/1000 only and the Racing Points by the Mexican Sergio Pérez, the fastest of the first session, and the Canadian Lance Stroll by respectively 217/1000 and 581/1000.
The Red Bull, however, seemed complicated to maneuver, Verstappen and his Thai teammate Alexander Albon multiplying the fears on the track.
Significantly more efficient this season than last year, the Racing Points have inherited the nickname "Pink Mercedes" because they are very strongly inspired by the single-seater world champion last year.
"Unhappy" with his car according to his Mercedes team, the Briton Lewis Hamilton, campaigning to equal the record for seven world titles by Michael Schumacher, had to settle for the sixth fastest time at 688/1000, behind the Spaniard Carlos Sainz Jr ( McLaren) at 673/1000.
To note the big accident of the Australian of Renault Daniel Ricciardo, come to strike the barriers of safety at high speed after having lost the control of his single-seater. Coming out limping out of his cockpit, he was declared fit after a medical examination.
His crash led to an interruption of fifteen minutes of the session.
Free practice 3 is scheduled for 12:00 noon (10:00 GMT) on Saturday, followed by qualifying at 3:00 p.m. (1:00 p.m. GMT), weather permitting: heavy rain is expected throughout the day.
./bds/pel
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