Carlos Sainz Tops Friday Practice At 2022 French GP – Sport Grill

Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz emerged fastest across Friday Practice at 2022 French Grand Prix at Circuit Paul Ricard.

As hot weather conditions continued across France, Charles Leclerc topped FP1 but it was his Ferrari teammate, Sainz who emerged fastest overall after topping FP2 with Leclerc second-fastest for the Scuderia ahead of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.

Sainz though has picked up a 10 place grid penalty for the race following Ferrari’s decision to change his control electronics, following a fierce fire which ended his Austrian Grand Prix a fortnight ago.

Now, here is a full roundup of Friday Practice for 2022 French Grand Prix in hot conditions around Circuit Paul Ricard.

FP1

With hot conditions forecast across the weekend, the start of FP1 saw a mixture of tyre strategies across soft and medium tyres, as Verstappen set the pace with 1m 35.727 on soft tyres ahead of Red Bull teammate – Sergio Perez.

Verstappen further improved to 1m 34.991 in the 11th minute ahead of Perez and Leclerc as the top three order consequently stayed that way at the halfway mark of the session, with Mercedes’ George Russell fourth fastest despite a spin for Perez in the 18th minute at Turn 4.

Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz was the first driver to attempt a Qualifying simulation as he shot to the top of the timesheet in the 32nd minute, with 1m 34.268 whilst Russell edged out Mercedes’ FP1 driver – Nyck De Vries for third.

Verstappen then regained top spot in the 39th minute by 0.247 seconds but Leclerc found a further 0.091s eight minutes later to finish fastest, as he posted 1m 33.930 to head Verstappen and Sainz as the top three were split by 0.338s at the checkered flag.

Russell, Pierre Gasly, Perez, Lando Norris, Alex Albon, De Vries and Daniel Ricciardo rounded out the top ten, as everyone set their fastest lap on the soft tyre – except for Williams’ Nicholas Latifi who finished slowest on medium tyres 3.113s off the pace.

Robert Kubica replaced Valtteri Bottas at Alfa Romeo for FP1 and finished 19th fastest, of which he was 2.402s off the pace

FP2

As the hot temperatures continued to rise, Alfa Romeo’s Bottas and Zhou were first out on track but it was Alpine’s Fernando Alonso who set the initial pace with 1m 35.561, as a majority of drivers opted for mediums except for Ricciardo, Stroll and Latifi on hard tyres.

Russell eventually displaced Alonso in the 11th minute with 1m 34.810 on medium tyres, which was bettered by Leclerc four minutes later as the Monegasque went 0.628s quicker until Verstappen went top by 0.010s in the 19th minute.

Sainz meanwhile had been kept in the pits as Ferrari changed his floor but the Spaniard opted for soft tyres once he got on track, which sent him top with 1m 33.322 as the opening stints drew to their close ahead of Qualifying simulations.

Leclerc found 0.186s on his soft tyre Qualifying simulation to go top but Sainz responded with 1m 32.527 in the 32nd minute to top the session, ahead of his Ferrari teammate as Max Verstappen settled for third in front of Russell and Lewis Hamilton who rounded out the top five.