#DutchGP FP1: @GeorgeRussell63 heads @MercedesAMGF1 1-2 as @Max33Verstappen hits trouble. #F1

Russell Dutch GP FP1 – George Russell lead team-mate Lewis Hamilton in a Mercedes one-two in FP1 at the Dutch GP whilst home-favourite Max Verstappen suffered a technical gremlin.

The two F1 W13 entries headed out on the C4 red side-walled softer compounds in the final quarter to benefit from tack evolution and duly went to the top.

The Hungarian GP pole-sitter and Hamilton demoted Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz to third whilst McLaren’s Lando Norris lead team-mate Daniel Ricciardo lead the other F1-75 entry of Charles Leclerc.

The Aston Martin pairing went out first as part of a busy opening to the session, all drivers except for Williams’ Alexander Albon and AlphaTauri’s Pierre Gasly emerged, and only Alpine’s Fernando Alonso opted against the C2 white-marked harder tyres.

Not surprisingly on the quicker C3 yellow medium rubber, Alonso soon set the pace on a 1:17.662 before Verstappen found a further four-tenths on the harder tyre moments later.

After Haas F1 Team’s Mick Schumacher locked the front-right through the turn eleven chicane to skate over the gravel trap despite a very slow entry speed, the pace-setters had similar moments.

Alonso was another to over-run turn eleven before reigning world champion Verstappen pulled off with a car problem.

No sooner did Verstappen jumped to the top of the pile on the harder compound with a 1:14.714, to sit comfortable by over half-a-second before his RB18 came to a stop.

Double-waved yellows became a virtual safety car then full red flag conditions after ten minutes when the gearbox appeared to fail on the exit of the second corner with a puff of smoke.

The home favourite came to a halt on the exit of turn four before hopping out of the RB18 that was fitted with a new power-train for last weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix, which Verstappen won.

Notably, the Red Bull team were given the green light to break a seal to replace the main shaft locking insert of Verstappen’s gearbox earlier during Friday morning.

It took the better part of ten minutes for FP1 to return to green, but during the lull, Schumacher was investigated and cleared for leaving the pits under the red flag.

With 40 minutes left on clock, Hamilton – running an older power-train whilst the engine from his tangle in Belgium with Alonso was recovered – switched to softs and lead the pack out.

But as he sat in 15th with a 1:16.937 on fresher tyres, Alonso moved back to the top on the C4 softs posting a 1:13.635 before Norris lowered it to a 1:12.929.

The Mercedes-powered MCL36 entry briefly enjoyed it’s time at the top of the time-sheets until 33 minutes left when Sainz jumped to P1, setting a 1:12.845.

As most of the field switched to heavier fuel runs, the Mercedes duo emerged with a heap of set-up tweaks and used one-lap stints enjoyed at similarly downforce dependent Budapest to run quickest.

Russell was first to run on the softer compounds, the Hungarian GP pole-sitter flying to the top with a 1:12.455, which became the session’s topping benchmark.

Hamilton came out shortly after the Silver Arrows had finished modifying his W13, and the Briton wound up 0.240 adrift of his team-mate.

The seven-time world champion had his fair share of run-ins with rivals, as the Mercedes driver was flagged for holding up Haas F1 Team’s Kevin Magnussen and then Leclerc through most of sector one.

After their complaints had come and gone, Hamilton was also called out by Sainz – the Spaniard reporting the Briton of holding him up on the approach to the final corner.

Similarly, Norris and Aston Martin’s Sebastian Vettel ran side-by-side fighting over track position late-on, but all these incidents passed without investigation from race officials.

With a few late improvements, Russell remained on top over Mercedes team-mate Hamilton when the chequered flag waved for the end as Sainz rounded out the top three.

Norris lead team-mate Ricciardo for the Woking based-squad in fourth and fifth respectively as Ferrari’s Leclerc placed sixth in the order.

The other Red Bull RB18 entry of Sergio Perez came seventh in the classification after a scruffy session for the Mexican locking-up and running wide at the banked turn three.

The Red Bull driver was lucky to keep the car away from the wall, with Perez running wide through turn nine and skidding over the gravel to come within millimetres of the advertising boards.

Alpine’s Alonso placed eighth and ahead of team-mate Esteban Ocon as Williams’ Albon rounded out the top ten.

Haas F1 Team’s Schumacher and Magnussen were 11th and 13th respectively as Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll split the duo in 12th with AlphaTauri’s Gasly taking 14th in the order.

Aston Martin’s Vettel ended opening practice in 15th and in-front of Alfa Romeo’s Zhou Guanyu who took 16th and AlphaTauri’s Yuki Tsunoda who was 17th.

Alfa Romeo’s Valtteri Bottas and Williams Racing’s Nicholas Latifi were 18th and at the rear respectively as the aforementioned Verstappen placed 19th due to his technical issue.

You can see the full Formula 1 Heineken Dutch Grand Prix 2022 Free Practice 1 Results Classification at the link: https://www.formula1.com/en/results.html/2022/races/1119/netherlands/practice-1.html