Carlos Sainz Steals the Spotlight at F1 2024 Spanish Grand Prix: Who Made the Top 10 Cut?
The hometown hero, Carlos Sainz, captured the top spot in the third and final practice session for the Spanish Grand Prix, setting a blazing 1:13.013s lap time with his Ferrari. It was a session that kept fans on the edge of their seats as the top drivers constantly traded places for the coveted number one position.
Top Contenders Battle It Out
In a fiercely competitive session, qualifying-pole-2024">McLaren's Lando Norris trailed Sainz by a mere 0.030s, securing the second spot. The top three was rounded out by Sainz's Ferrari teammate, Charles Leclerc, who was just 0.037s off the fast time. This tight competition among the top drivers underscores the intensity of this year's championship chase.
The session saw the top five drivers covered by a razor-thin margin of just 0.151s. Completing this elite group were Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and Mercedes’ George Russell, both of whom delivered stellar performances. Lewis Hamilton, who had topped the FP2 session on Friday, finished the final practice in sixth place, with Red Bull’s Sergio Perez clocking in at seventh.
Unexpected Performances
Notably, Williams' Alexander Albon turned heads with an impressive eighth-place finish, outperforming expectations and positioning himself as a dark horse for the upcoming qualifying session. Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso and McLaren's Oscar Piastri rounded out the top ten, adding to the anticipation and unpredictability leading up to the race.
Full Practice Results
Here are the full results from the exciting FP3 session:
| Position | Driver | Team | Time | Gap | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Carlos Sainz Jr | Ferrari | 1:13.013 | 19 | |
| 2 | Lando Norris | McLaren | 1:13.043 | 0.030 | 14 |
| 3 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1:13.050 | 0.037 | 18 |
| 4 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | 1:13.087 | 0.074 | 24 |
| 5 | George Russell | Mercedes | 1:13.164 | 0.151 | 20 |
| 6 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 1:13.359 | 0.346 | 26 |
| 7 | Sergio Perez | Red Bull | 1:13.723 | 0.710 | 19 |
| 8 | Alexander Albon | Williams | 1:13.753 | 0.740 | 14 |
| 9 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | 1:13.786 | 0.773 | 21 |
| 10 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | 1:13.907 | 0.894 | 14 |
| 11 | Esteban Ocon | Alpine | 1:13.950 | 0.937 | 18 |
| 12 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | 1:13.964 | 0.951 | 14 |
| 13 | Nico Hulkenberg | Haas | 1:13.975 | 0.962 | 20 |
| 14 | Valtteri Bottas | Sauber | 1:14.024 | 1.011 | 19 |
| 15 | Kevin Magnussen | Haas | 1:14.074 | 1.061 | 27 |
| 16 | Daniel Ricciardo | RB | 1:14.161 | 1.148 | 17 |
| 17 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | 1:14.254 | 1.241 | 16 |
| 18 | Yuki Tsunoda | RB | 1:14.420 | 1.407 | 22 |
| 19 | Guanyu Zhou | Sauber | 1:14.572 | 1.559 | 17 |
| 20 | Logan Sargeant | Williams | 1:14.729 | 1.716 | 12 |
Anticipation for Qualifying
With the top 10 drivers separated by less than a second, the intensity for the upcoming qualifying session is palpable. Fans are eager to see if Sainz will be able to carry his momentum into qualifying or if another driver will seize the spotlight. Given the close margins in the practice session, it’s anyone’s guess who will come out on top.
Stay tuned as the drama unfolds and we get closer to what promises to be an epic Spanish Grand Prix.