Carlos Sainz Stuns in Spanish GP: Ferrari's Triumph Over McLaren and Red Bull in FP3
Formula 1 fans were treated to an electrifying third practice session at the Spanish Grand Prix, as Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz clinched the fastest lap, leaving McLaren’s Lando Norris and fellow Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc trailing in his wake.
The Spanish driver, fueled by the support of his home crowd, clocked an impressive 1:13.013 on the Soft compound, narrowly besting Norris by a mere 0.030 seconds. Leclerc, who led through the first two sectors, faced a challenging moment that ultimately placed him third, just 0.037 seconds off Sainz's pace.
Meanwhile, Red Bull's Max Verstappen demonstrated a significant boost in speed, maneuvering his RB20 to a competitive fourth place, tantalizingly close to the leading time. The Mercedes duo followed suit, with George Russell taking the lead over his teammate Lewis Hamilton, ensuring the Silver Arrows remained at the forefront of the competition.
Surprising Moves and Strong Performances
Another surprise came from Sergio Perez of Red Bull, who showed improvement but still found himself more than six-tenths behind Verstappen. However, the real shocker was Alex Albon, who propelled his Williams into eighth place with a remarkable performance. Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso also picked up the pace, securing the ninth spot on the board.
The session wasn’t without its struggles. Oscar Piastri, McLaren’s rising star, faced difficulties throughout, barely making it into the top ten. His teammate Norris experienced minor damage following a minor contact with Leclerc’s Ferrari towards the end of the session.
Midfield and the Rear of the Pack
The Alpine cars, driven by Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly, showed consistent pace, while Valtteri Bottas in the Sauber managed to slot in between the Haas pair of Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen. Daniel Ricciardo, piloting the lead RB, found the updated VCARB 01 underwhelming, which reflected in his performance.
Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll narrowly beat out Yuki Tsunoda, while Guanyu Zhou in the second Sauber and Logan Sargeant ultimately brought up the rear. With the conclusion of FP3, all eyes are now on the qualifying session, where drivers will vie for pole position.
The battle is set, and the stage could not be more perfect. Every team will be assessing their strategies and fine-tuning their cars in the hope of gaining that critical edge during qualifying.