@Max33Verstappen pips @ValtteriBottas to go quickest in FP2. #F1 #FrenchGP

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen pipped Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas by a narrow 0.008 seconds to go quickest in FP2 at the French GP with reigning champion Lewis Hamilton taking third in the other Silver Arrow.

After Red Bull changed Verstappen’s setup following his third spot on the time-sheets FP1, the championship leader edged out Bottas, the time-topper in opening practice, could not find time when running the C4 red-marked softer compounds compared to his earlier running on the medium rubber.

When Friday’s afternoon FP2 session went green, Williams Racing’s George Russell posted the P1 benchmark with a 1:37.201 on the C3 yellow-marked mediums, as he made his first appearance on track at Circuit Paul Ricard after reserve driver Roy Nissany piloted the Briton’s FW43B racer in opening practice.

Russell was rapidly demoted as the field set their initial flyers, with Alfa Romeo Racing’s Antonio Giovinazzi taking top spot posting a 1:35.522 – also on the mediums – after the first five minutes had passed.

A few moments later, Bottas moved to the top of the time-sheets with a solid 1:32.880 on the C3 yellow side-walled medium compounds, with that effort remaining the fastest for the next half an hour.

Hamilton and Verstappen slotted behind the Finn during the early proceedings, with their best efforts on the mediums putting them 0.4 seconds and one second down respectively.

Verstappen also lost a piece of his front wing when he went over the big yellow kerbs at the exit of the fast turn two right hander, which was picked up by a marshal running onto the circuit after the deployment of the virtual safety car, as Red Bull told FIA Race Director Michael Masi it was running low on carbon parts.

With 40 minutes remaining, Bottas emerged on the softer tyres, but despite going quickest of all in sector one, he time gradually dropped as his hot-lap went on and ended up posting an effort, which was 0.338 slower than his leading benchmark on the mediums.

Hamilton then set his best time on the softs, but the Briton wound up 0.245 seconds slower than his Mercedes team-mate, as he reported to his team: “There is something not right with the car.”

At the mid-point, Verstappen went to begin his qualifying simulation run on the softer compounds, as the Dutchman posted the quickest time in sector one.

He lost a bit of time to Bottas in the middle segment, which is majority the Mistral Straight, but the Red Bull driver was able to keep enough life in the tyres to set the fastest sector three effort to clinch P1 with a 1:32.872.

The Dutchman was top by only 0.008 seconds, with Hamilton 0.253 seconds off of Verstappens’ French GP FP2 benchmark in third, after which the pack started their traditional long race simulation runs.

Double World Champion Fernando Alonso took a solid fourth place for Alpine F1 Team, in-front of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc who completed the top five and Esteban Ocon in the second Alpine A521.

Scuderia AlphaTauri’s Pierre Gasly, finished behind his fellow French compatriot in seventh place, with Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz in eighth.

Alfa Romeo Racing’s Kimi Raikkonen and McLaren’s Lando Norris completed the top ten.

The other Alfa Romeo Racing entry of Giovinazzi was 11th and ahead of Red Bull’s Sergio Perez who took 12th and Scuderia AlphaTauri’s Yuki Tsunoda in 13th place on the time-sheets.

McLaren’s Daniel Ricciardo ended the afternoon in 14th place and in-front of Aston Martin pairing Sebastian Vettel and Lancer Stroll who finished 15th and 16th.

Williams Racing’s Russell and Nicholas Latifi were 17th and 18th respectively with Haas F1 Team’s Mick Schumacher and Nikita Mazepin bringing up the rear.

You can read the full Formula 1 Emirates French Grand Prix 2021 Free Practice 2 Results Classification at the link: https://www.formula1.com/en/results.html/2021/races/1070/france/practice-2.html

#FrenchGP FP1: @ValtteriBottas leads @MercedesAMGF1 one-two. #F1

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