French Grand Prix: Carlos Sainz to receive grid penalty

• Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz will start from the back of the grid at the French Grand Prix.
• Sainz was third fastest, 0.338 seconds behind Leclerc.
• George Russell was fourth fastest, 0.951 seconds slower than his Mercedes team-mate.

Carlos Sainz of Ferrari will start from the back of the grid in the French Grand Prix due to excessive engine part usage.

He currently only faces a 10-place fine for exceeding the allowed limit by utilizing a third electronics control device.

However, Ferrari is anticipated to take more components later this weekend due to the Spaniard’s engine fire in the Austrian Grand Prix, which will drop him to the back of the starting grid.

Charles Leclerc, a teammate of Sainz’s, set the tone during the first session.

Just 0.091 seconds separated Leclerc from title contender Max Verstappen as both drivers experimented with new components and concentrated on changes to their cars’ floors.

Sainz was third fastest, 0.338 seconds behind Leclerc, while racing on the old floor at Circuit Paul Ricard so Ferrari could compare the data from both designs before deciding which to use for the weekend.

Leclerc produced a flawless lap, but Verstappen made an error on his quickest lap by racing wide and bouncing over the curb on the exit of the Beausset double left-hander.

In the Mercedes, which also has new parts, George Russell was fourth fastest, but he lagged behind the leaders by 0.951 seconds.

As one of each team’s two mandated “young driver” outings, reserve driver Nyck de Vries was driving Lewis Hamilton’s vehicle. The Dutchman ran 0.5 seconds slower than Russell and placed eighth.

Prior to Sergio Perez in the second Red Bull, who spun out at Turn Six early in the session, Pierre Gasly was fifth fastest in the substantially modified Alpha Tauri.

Lando Norris of McLaren was seventh fastest, ahead of Alex Albon of Williams, De Vries, and Daniel Ricciardo of the second McLaren.

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