• Free Practice 2 Classification and times

  • Nikita Mazepin A danger on and off the court

  • Free Practice 1 Encouraging Ferrari staging

  • Alonso and Sainz A common obsession on the circuit that puts everyone in their place

Max Verstappen's blank

stare

, fingers gripping the earplugs, didn't exactly invite optimism in the Red Bull garage.

Lewis Hamilton

(1: 18.170) had just set the best record of the second free session in Montmeló and

Mad Max

had given up just over six tenths, a whole abyss in this World Cup marked by the meager differences with Mercedes.

Verstappen's confusion was also reflected in an unexpected

pit stop

, with only two minutes remaining. This time around, his RB16B couldn't get close to the best in each of the three sets, dominated by Hamilton,

Valtteri Bottas

and

Charles Leclerc

, respectively. He didn't even seem to support Alpine's rhythm.

On soft tires, under conditions very similar to those expected on Saturday,

Fernando Alonso

posted a 1: 18.518, the same tenth as Bottas' best time during FP1.

The fifth place for the Asturian, just behind

Esteban Ocon

, opens a window of optimism.

"How are the tires? How is the balance of the car?" He asked over the radio.

"We have oversteer," they answered from the wall.

Sainz, eighth

After the penalties suffered in Portimao, the two-time world champion focused on every minute detail.

With more heat and gusts of wind than in the morning, the A521 race simulations offered interesting data.

If Mercedes could do multiple laps in 1:23, Alonso seemed to hold the pace.

Also Leclerc with the Ferrari.

As if it weren't enough, the Monegasque (1: 18.335) was only 13 hundredths behind Hamilton's best time. His third place shows the good moment of SF21, with which

Carlos Sainz

, four tenths slower, would finish eighth. The only trouble for the '55' occurred in the Campsa curve. After hitting a curb, some pieces flew through the air, causing a short-lived

virtual safety car

. The skill and haste of an operator avoided major setbacks.

In any case, the two red cars outscored the Red Bulls.

It is true that Verstappen's best attempt was made on intermediate tires, but the soft ones did not push

Sergio Pérez

at all

.

To make matters worse, the Dutchman would end up damaging the right part of his front wing, as he badly crossed the pianos at Turn 8.

Christian Horner's

engineers must learn from all this as soon as possible

.

According to the criteria of The Trust Project

Know more

  • Fernando Alonso

  • Formula 1

  • sports

  • Lewis hamilton

  • Max verstappen

Formula 1 Encouraging Ferrari staging in Montmeló

Formula 1 'Pole' for Hamilton at Imola after an ugly step back from Sainz and Alonso

Formula 1 Verstappen also scares Mercedes almost blindly

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