MONACO GP – Max Verstappen fastest in third practice as Lewis Hamilton crashes in closing moments
Max Verstappen lead a Red Bull one two in third practice for the Monaco Grand Prix. The Dutchman set a 12.766 putting himself seven hundredths ahead of his teammate Sergio Perez, however it will be thought that the Red Bulls would have been quicker as the late runs were brought to an early conclusion when Lewis Hamilton crash in the closing moments of practice.
Red Bull go into qualifying looking like the team to beat, Verstappen was a tenth and a half quicker than the Aston Martin of Lance Stroll. Through out the session the rapid track evolution saw Verstappen and Perez trade lap times underlining the advantage the team has, Stroll was the only other driver to get into the 1:12’s but was just over a three tenths ahead of Carlos Sainz.
While the one-two points to continued domination for Red Bull, plenty of mystery remains going into the most crucial qualifying session of the season, with overtaking in Sunday’s race notoriously difficult. Stroll’s teammate Fernando Alonso struggled leaving him fourteenth as he didn’t get a clean lap in.
Lando Norris was fifth showing a step forwards from McLaren he went over half a hundredth faster than the Alpine of Pierre Gasly and Charles Leclerc. Norris looking as if he could fight into Q3 as he matched his result from FP2. McLaren has struggled for pace so far this year but Norris’ early showings suggest he could qualify highly.
The Monacan reporting to struggle through the Swimming Pool, leaving him needing to lift in order to have any control over the Ferrari’s trajectory. Leclerc’s hope for a third home pole look to have faded he was seven tenths off Verstappen, but he appeared to struggle for grip.
Hamilton had to settle for eight following his crash through Mirabeau which left him two hundredths behind Leclerc. The seven time champion had gone fastest in the first sector, before losing the rear and hitting the barrier on the exit of Mirabeau during a qualifying simulation, although it was unclear whether the front suspension had been damaged.
Esteban Ocon put his Alpine ninth going quarter of a tenth faster than Valtteri Bottas, with the Alfa Romeo driver rounding out the top ten. George Russell put his Mercedes eleventh he was six hundredths off Bottas, and ahead of the Haas of Kevin Magnussen. Magnussen was nearly four hundredths faster than teammate Nico Hulkenberg, with Fernando Alonso fourteenth.
Yuki Tsunoda was fifteenth, the Alpha Tauri driver going three hundredths faster than Guanyu Zhou. Logan Sargent was behind Zhou and ahead of his teammate Alex Albon by the same margin, eight hundredths. Oscar Piastri was nineteenth nearly two tenths ahead of Nyck de Vries.
Leave a Reply