In constant and sometimes very intense rain on Saturday morning, Max Verstappen set the fastest time in the third and final free practice session before qualifying.
The Dutchman, leader of the drivers’ standings this season and main driver at Red Bull, set the fastest lap of the day in 1 minute, 23 seconds and 106 thousandths. Almost three tenths of a second behind him, Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc took second, ahead of Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso. However, more than a second separated Leclerc from Alonso.
The track conditions made life difficult for everyone. On the radio, Lewis Hamilton, leader of the previous day’s tests, described “poor” grip on the wet surface. The Mercedes driver finally got the 10th fastest time. Lance Stroll of Aston Martin finished 7th.
Yuki Tsunoda (AlphaTauri) spun which didn’t seem to damage his car. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari), he hit a wall which considerably damaged the front of his car. A red flag was raised for the time to evacuate his single-seater from the circuit.
The qualifying session, which will determine the starting order for Sunday’s race, will take place at 4 p.m.
