Formula 1: Without Hamilton on the track, the fight between Leclerc and Verstappen dominated the first free practice

The French Grand Prix, 12th round of the Formula 1 season, was characterized by an absence in the first free practice and by a frequent fight for the lead between Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc. Missing was the seven times English champion of the category, Lewis Hamilton, who for this test was replaced by the surprising Nick de Vries.

The Dutchman soon befriended Mercedes, which brought several improvements to the Paul Ricard such as a flatter nose and finished fourth in the standings when just a quarter of the first training had elapsed and champion Verstappen was already dominating the session.

Checo Pérez, owner of a block that froze more than one when the Mexican lost control of his car at turn four, fought the other Red Bull to prevent Leclerc from intimidating his teammate and so it is. finished third.

McLaren, another of the teams that made improvements to their cars at the French circuit, were lively at the start of the session but then vanished. While there were no communications from Daniel Ricciardo, despite the Australian crashing at Turn 12, Lando Norris spoke of bad feelings with the accelerator.

Hamilton was not the only one absent. Valtteri Bottas, his partner until last year at Mercedes, sold his car even if it was not a young driver but the Polish expert Robert Kubica, 37, who was unable to get out of the fund with Alfa Romeo of the ranking.

What happened to Ferrari? While Leclerc was the one who fought against the Red Bulls, the FIA ​​reported through a document that Sainz used a new electronic control unit, which will mean a drop of 10 positions on the grid. It remains to be seen whether more components of the Power Unit will be needed this weekend. For now, towards the middle of practice, he has put his car in the lead, with a time of 1: 34.268, 78 thousandths faster than Verstappen.

But the Dutchman, with the red tire and despite having gone outside the limits of the track, did not take long to bring his Red Bull to the limit and get the best time from Sainz, regaining the lead with 83 thousandths over Leclerc , who has also displaced his teammate, already 247 of the Spaniard.

However, the times were not defined. Leclerc managed to take the lead, with 91 thousandths over Verstappen and 338 over Sainz, while behind the single row they changed their name between Russell, Gasly, Pérez, Norris. Albon, De Vries and Ricciardo, the best 10 ten minutes from the end, coincidentally.

With full tanks, the result of free practice did not lead to too many changes, much less to the front, where Ferrari won the first battle against Red Bull.

The second free practice of the French Grand Prix, which runs with about 40 ° that hit the European summer, will already have Hamilton. It will be from 12 on Fox Sports and Star ++, which will also broadcast the third training session on Saturday (at 8 and the ranking at 11), while the race will be on Sunday at 10, always expressed in Argentine times.