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Max Verstappen was fastest in an increasingly wet final Canadian Grand Prix Formula 1 practice session ahead of what looks certain to be a rain-affected qualifying.
Key moments
* Track improves enough for intermediate running then rain worsens
* Sainz under investigation for impeding and crashes too
* Verstappen consistently fastest
Early wet-tyre running soon gave way to intermediate-tyre times, but in the final 10 minutes the rain increased significantly again and everyone headed back to the pits. The conditions are forecast to be much the same for qualifying later today.
Usually that would be considered the recipe for an upset, but runaway championship leader Verstappen consistently put himself on top in practice three whatever the level of rain – his wet-tyre times holding off the intermediate runners at first too and the Red Bull going 1.6s clear of the pack at one stage.
Charles Leclerc was Verstappen’s main rival, having a few spells in first place and ending up 0.291 seconds slower.
🚩 RED FLAG 🚩
The session has been red-flagged
Carlos Sainz goes spinning off into the barriers at Turn 1#CanadianGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/8cr2wogLCG
— Formula 1 (@F1) June 17, 2023
But his Ferrari team-mate Carlos Sainz had a very troubled session. Two separate blocking incidents with Williams driver Alex Albon will be investigated after practice, and just after that was announced Sainz caused a 10-minute red flag by spinning on the way into Turn 1 and hitting the barriers with both ends of his car.
It's getting tricky out there! 🌧️
Checo and Ocon both take a detour on the grass 🌱#CanadianGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/HNnJggQ7El
— Formula 1 (@F1) June 17, 2023
Plenty of drivers had less dramatic trips over the grass and run-off during the session, while Yuki Tsunoda had a complete spin between the walls without touching any of them.
Yuki finds himself in a spin early on 🌀#CanadianGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/sWr29CetW6
— Formula 1 (@F1) June 17, 2023
Fernando Alonso was third fastest for Aston Martin, with Kevin Magnussen the main underdog star of the hour in fourth for Haas ahead of Sainz.
Friday pacesetter Mercedes had a low-key session, struggling for tyre temperature. Lewis Hamilton went 10th just as the rain intensified while George Russell ended up 15th.
Practice 3 Results
Pos | Name | Car | Best Time | Gap Leader |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | 1m13.664s | |
2 | Sergio Pérez | Red Bull | 1m13.914s | +0.25s |
3 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 1m14.072s | +0.408s |
4 | Carlos Sainz | Ferrari | 1m14.24s | +0.576s |
5 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin-Mercedes | 1m14.264s | +0.6s |
6 | George Russell | Mercedes | 1m14.278s | +0.614s |
7 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1m14.353s | +0.689s |
8 | Valtteri Bottas | Alfa Romeo-Ferrari | 1m14.36s | +0.696s |
9 | Yuki Tsunoda | AlphaTauri-Honda RBPT | 1m14.659s | +0.995s |
10 | Lando Norris | McLaren-Mercedes | 1m14.681s | +1.017s |
11 | Guanyu Zhou | Alfa Romeo-Ferrari | 1m14.681s | +1.017s |
12 | Nyck de Vries | AlphaTauri-Honda RBPT | 1m14.693s | +1.029s |
13 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin-Mercedes | 1m14.756s | +1.092s |
14 | Nico Hülkenberg | Haas-Ferrari | 1m14.988s | +1.324s |
15 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren-Mercedes | 1m15.105s | +1.441s |
16 | Esteban Ocon | Alpine-Renault | 1m15.266s | +1.602s |
17 | Kevin Magnussen | Haas-Ferrari | 1m15.534s | +1.87s |
18 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine-Renault | 1m15.841s | +2.177s |
19 | Alex Albon | Williams-Mercedes | 1m15.851s | +2.187s |
20 | Logan Sargeant | Williams-Mercedes | 1m16.529s | +2.865s |