Max Verstappen , who faces a 10-place grid penalty for Sunday's race, topped the times for Red Bull ahead of McLaren 's Oscar Piastri in Friday's opening free practice at this weekend's Belgian Grand Prix .
Five days after his sweary outbursts on team radio at the Hungaroring, the series leader and three-time world champion did his talking on the track by outpacing Piastri, who claimed his maiden Formula One victory in Hungary, by 0.531 seconds.
Verstappen clocked a best lap in one minute and 43.372 seconds and remained unchallenged at the front of the field throughout the session as he began his bid to end a three-race winless run by claiming his fourth consecutive Belgian triumph.
Williams' Alex Albon was third fastest, ahead of the Mercedes of George Russell and seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton , Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, Sergio Perez of Red Bull and Lando Norris in the second McLaren.
Sainz and Stroll down the fieldCarlos Sainz was ninth for Ferrari and Lance Stroll 10th for Aston Martin.
