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Surprisingly Strong Start for Verstappen and Red Bull at Spa
Max Verstappen and Red Bull surprised friend and foe alike by ending the first free practice session at Spa-Francorchamps with the fastest time.
By Michael de Vries - 2026-07-17T12:30:00.000Z - 1 min read
Max Verstappen had a striking start during the opening session of the Belgian Grand Prix. The Red Bull driver set the fastest lap in the first free practice at the iconic Spa-Francorchamps circuit. The team immediately displayed an impressive pace.
This early dominance came as a surprise to many, including reportedly the team itself. Red Bull's speed in this session was unexpectedly strong, which may give the competition reason for concern heading into the rest of the race weekend.
Of course, a free practice session offers no guarantees for qualifying or the race. Teams experiment extensively with setups, tire compounds, and fuel loads. However, the lap times do provide an initial indication of the relative pecking order.
Nevertheless, the performance will give a major boost to Verstappen and Red Bull. In any case, the opening session promises an exciting continuation at Spa, where weather conditions and the long, demanding track always present extra challenges.