FP1 SPA - Scuderia AlphaTauri
As the Reserve and Test driver for both Red Bull Racing and Scuderia AlphaTauri, Liam got his first F1 Free Practice 1 session of the year at Spa-Francorchamps on Friday 26th August, alongside his Formula 2 race duties.
Under the regulations, each team must run a junior driver in two FP1 sessions during the F1 season, and use both cars. For Liam’s FP1 session at Spa he drove Pierre Gasly’s AT03.
The day swung between fine and damp sessions and he spent most of the session on the hard compound tyres. Liam was one of only a few to use this compound in this session and improved every lap as his confidence with the car grew.
A long red-flag stoppage and then the increasing drizzle prevented him from doing a full push lap on the soft tyres. From the start of the lap until turn 7 Liam was 2/10ths behind Yuki Tsunoda in the sister-car when he had to absorb the lap. The chance to push will have to wait for another day!
