Carlos Sainz Fastest in Home Final Practice Session
Sainz Shines at Home
Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz topped the timesheets in the Spanish free practice 3, he delighted his home crowd with a best lap of 1:13.013. Sainz edged out McLaren’s Lando Norris by a mere 0.030 seconds in a session marked by tight competition and on-track clashes.
Norris and Leclerc Clash
Lando Norris secured the second-fastest time, narrowly ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc by 0.007 seconds. However, the session wasn’t without drama. Towards the end, Leclerc cut across a slow-moving Norris into Turn 6, resulting in minor contact between the Ferrari and McLaren cars. Both drivers managed to continue, but the incident kept the stewards busy post-session.
Verstappen in the Mix
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, the reigning triple world champion, was fourth fastest, just 0.074 seconds behind Sainz. Verstappen, consistently fast throughout the weekend, will look to convert his pace into a strong qualifying performance later today.
Mercedes Duo Follow Close Behind
Mercedes drivers George Russell and Lewis Hamilton, who had shown promising pace on Friday, finished the session in fifth and sixth respectively. Hamilton’s session, however, was not without controversy. The seven-time world champion was involved in an incident with Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll. Hamilton appeared to impede Stroll slightly at Turn 5 and attempted to let him through, but Stroll washed out mid-corner, resulting in a minor collision with Hamilton’s Mercedes.
Perez Rounds Out the Top Seven
Red Bull’s Sergio Perez clocked the seventh fastest time, completing a top seven featuring drivers from the sport’s leading teams. Perez, carrying a three-place grid penalty from the Canadian Grand Prix, will be aiming for a strong qualifying performance to mitigate the impact of his penalty.
Stewards Kept Busy
The stewards were busy post-session, not only with the Norris-Leclerc incident but also investigating the clash between Hamilton and Stroll. Both incidents just go to show the tension and competitive spirit as teams fine-tune their setups ahead of the crucial qualifying session.
Full timing results of the Spanish free practice 3 session here.
