Everything that happened in final F1 US GP practice

Newly-crowned 2022 Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen was fastest in the final practice session before qualifying at Austin.

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Key moments

– Verstappen pulls out margin on final lap
– Schumacher loses drive but returns to track
– Zhou sits out most of FP3 with technical issue

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Verstappen was quickest after the initial qualifying simulations with a 1m36.223s on the soft tyres which was just 0.010s quicker than his former title rival Charles Leclerc.

Leclerc improved to jump into the top spot but Verstappen was able beat him and pull clear with his final lap – a 1m35.825s, some 0.320s faster than Leclerc.

The Ferrari driver is facing a 10-place grid penalty this weekend for a couple of engine component changes.

The top three in FP3 was rounded out by Leclerc’s team-mate Carlos Sainz who was over four tenths slower than Verstappen’s benchmark.

Sergio Perez, who will be moved back five spots because of a grid penalty, was fourth fastest but could face a further penalty for impeding Fernando Alonso in the dying moments of the session in the opening sector.

Lewis Hamilton was the fastest Mercedes driver but still over half a second slower than Verstappen while George Russell was beaten to sixth place by Alonso.

Alonso and Russell were followed by Sebastian Vettel and Lance Stroll, who continued Aston Martin’s strong Austin weekend.

The top 10 was rounded out by Alpine-bound Pierre Gasly who edged out Alfa Romeo’s Valtteri Bottas.

Daniel Ricciardo battled brake problems aboard his McLaren early in the session and ended up 15th in the session while his team-mate Lando Norris was 12th.

Mick Schumacher lost a heap of track time as his Haas slowed with a technical problem early in FP3.

Alfa Romeo’s Zhou Guanyu also suffered from technical problems and ended up as 20th and slowest as he sat in the garage while his rivals undertook their qualifying simulations.

Practice 3 Results