Verstappen half a second clear of Perez as new tyre debuts in FP1
Pirelli has introduced a new 'tougher' specification of slick tyre at this weekend’s race at Silverstone following an initial test at the Spanish Grand Prix in June.
Verstappen, who sits 81 points ahead of Perez in the world championship standings, ended up 0.448s faster than his teammate after their respective soft tyre runs.
Perez hit a stray bag that found its way onto the track at the end of the session but avoided picking up damage to his RB19.
Alex Albon posted an impressive lap to put his Williams third, just 0.489s off Verstappen’s benchmark.
Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso was fourth, ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, and Alpine’s Esteban Ocon.
The second Ferrari of Carlos Sainz was seventh, with Lando Norris, Lance Stroll and Oscar Piastri completing the rest of the top-10 order.
Under-pressure AlphaTauri driver Nyck de Vries finished 11th-fastest after surviving an early trip through the gravel.
Neither Mercedes drivers opted to use the soft tyres during FP1 as Lewis Hamilton ended up 12th, two places ahead of teammate George Russell.
Both were seen struggling to keep their upgraded Mercedes W14’s within the white lines, with Russell reporting that “the car is all over the place in Turn 6 and 8.”
