Given Charles Leclerc completed another Friday practice double, you’d think the championship leader would be delighted and the favourite for the weekend. But unfortunately that is not the case. Ferrari, while happy with their one-lap pace for qualifying today, were really rather slow on their race runs and that has led to both them and Mercedes naming Red Bull – who weren’t rapid yesterday – as the team to beat.
Today, however, is all about one-lap speed and qualifying.
In the third and final free practice session for the Spanish Grand Prix, Carlos Sainz showed a first glimpse of Ferrari’s Saturday pace, and unsurprisingly went fastest – although only just ahead of Valtteri Bottas after his first fast lap. But Charles Leclerc has been faster than Carlos Sainz all weekend here and he displaced his team-mate at the front immediately, by two-tenths. George Russell went third with his first lap, although 0.8s off the Monegasque driver. Lewis Hamilton was even slower, with a 1.2s deficit as he slots into sixth.
Max Verstappen was out for his first laps of the session and clocked a 1:20.278 to go second behind Charles: he was just under two-tenths of a second behind the Ferrari man.
But Charles Leclerc was back on track with fresh soft tyres and his benchmark improved to a 1:19.72. That’s three tenths quicker than Carlos Sainz, who momentarily went fastest himself on the new rubber. George Russell then unlocked some Mercedes pace, just a tenth and a half off that impressive lap from Charles: Russell was quickest of all through the opening sector, which was very encouraging for Mercedes, and indeed those wanting a three-team fight this weekend.
Max Verstappen was next and he by contrast as a storming end to a more scruffy lap overall, and finishes just 0.072s off Charles Leclerc. Sergio Perez only sixth, but the top six were split by less than half a second!
The chequered flag waved for Practice Three and it was a practice hat-trick for Charles Leclerc. While Ferrari aren’t happy with race pace, they’re mighty fast over one lap and that is what is key for qualifying today.
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Max Verstappen isn’t far behind, mind, within a tenth of his championship rival. And the big news is that Mercedes are right in contention.
Practice Three: Top Ten
1) Charles Leclerc, 1:19.772
2) Max Verstappen, +0.072
3) George Russell, +0.148
4) Lewis Hamilton, +0.230
5) Carlos Sainz, +0.357
6) Sergio Perez, +0.488
7) Lando Norris, +0.631
8)Kevin Magnussen, +0.874
9) Valtteri Bottas, +1.009
10) Esteban Ocon, +1.110
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