Valtteri Bottas ahead of Lewis Hamilton on F1 debut at Portimao

By Matt Morlidge

Last update: 10/23/20 12:37 PM

Valtteri Bottas set the pace ahead of Lewis Hamilton in the Formula 1 debut on the roller coaster track in Portimao. Mercedes stole an early march on Red Bull in Portuguese GP practice 1.

The Algarve circuit, with its big changes in elevation and sweeping turns, was an exciting challenge for the riders in the opening session on Friday when the sport returned to Portugal with multiple twists for the first time in 24 years, but it was the dominant outfit of 2020 that settled down immediately.

Bottas and Hamilton set the fastest times with the middle tire, but the Finn, who suffered a major championship blow in his DNF in the last race in Germany, started characteristically quickly with a 1: 18.410.

0:59

Max Verstappen spun his Red Bull around corner four during the first practice session before the Portuguese GP.

Hamilton, who was chasing a 92nd win this weekend that would put him ahead of Michael Schumacher in the record books, was three-tenths faster than his teammate, who was fastest in six consecutive P1s.

But Mercedes was 0.7 seconds behind closest rival Max Verstappen, albeit with the formidable Dutchman who turned as the first driver on Friday morning and set his fastest time on the tough terrain.

1:01

Charles Leclerc overstretched and was very lucky not to land his rear wheels in the gravel during the first practice session before the Portuguese GP.

Charles Leclerc made Ferrari an unexpectedly quick star when he finished fourth, ahead of Verstappen’s Red Bull teammate Alex Albon.

More will follow.

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