Verstappen reveals 'it won't be easy this weekend'

Despite ending FP2 at the top of the standings, Max Verstappen did not have an easy first day in France. In the first free practice he had damage to the floor of his car and in the second free practice he suffered damage to his front wing after he went over the kerbs too hard.

All in all, Verstappen is satisfied with the first day in France. "I think we improved very well even during the session," the Dutchman told Sky Sports F1. "The first free practice didn't quite go to plan, FP2 still didn't start great, but during the second set the car felt a lot better and the connection was a lot better."

Despite the fastest time, the Dutchman expects a difficult weekend ahead. "The track is very open and there is a lot of wind, so it is not easy to set a good lap. I think overall it was a good end of the day, so we can be competitive tomorrow. It's not easy to judge the speed in the middle of the corners, but at the end of the day everyone has to make do with it. We will find a good solution for it."

Whether Verstappen can also be the fastest and take pole position during qualifying on Saturday, the Red Bull driver does not yet dare to predict. "It's hard to say. You never know what people think at night, but today was good. I definitely expect it to be tight."