Verstappen over Hamilton in opening British GP practice

Max Verstappen

Red Bull Honda driver Max Verstappen, using the softest red Pirelli's topped opening practice for the British GP at Silverstone over a sandbagging Lewis Hamilton on the harder medium Pirellis.

Lance Stroll was third quick in the Racing Point 'pink' Mercedes ahead of Alex Albon in the 2nd Red Bull Honda.

Charles Leclerc was third for Ferrari while his teammate Sebastian Vettel, who dusted him in Hungary, was never given a chance by Ferrari to set a time, his car supposedly with intercooler problems.

Valtteri Bottas was 6th quick in race trim on the hard tires in the 2nd Mercedes.

Mercedes has revealed that, as a precaution, it fitted a new MGU-K to Hamilton’s car, his second and last of the season.

Verstappen is approaching the British Grand Prix with caution, but hopes Red Bull can get within 0.5s of Mercedes.

The Silver Arrows have been dominant so far in 2020, taking pole and the win at all three races, whilst no non-Mercedes driver has been able to qualify within 0.5s of them to this point.

But if Verstappen can change that at Silverstone, then he thinks that will be a “good" job from Red Bull.

“Last year, we came here and we thought we were going to get smashed and we were within two tenths in qualifying," he told reporters ahead of the race weekend.

"It can depend on a lot of things. For sure, they are the dominant team and they will be very fast. It can be from two tenths to a second – you don’t know, you really don’t know.

“I hope it’s not going to be a second, I hope not. I hope to be within half a second, that would be good I think.’’

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