Styrian GP FP3: Everything you need to know

Lewis Hamilton halted Formula 1 title rival Max Verstappen’s run of fastest Austrian Grand Prix practice times in the final session before qualifying at the Red Bull Ring.

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Key moments:

> Hamilton fastest at end having trailed Verstappen mid-session
> Verstappen 0.204s but has traffic on final runs
> Mazepin has spin at Turn 3 without damage

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Hamilton had been just over three tenths of a second adrift of Verstappen in the middle of the session, and expressed some confusion over that gap on team radio.

But improving to a 1m04.369s on the final runs meant Hamilton’s Mercedes ended practice three on top.

Verstappen did not get a clear shot at his last run, though. He encountered traffic on his first flying lap, including Hamilton, though it was not clear if a frustrated “of course he’s in my ****ing way all the time” radio message played on the TV broadcast definitely related to his championship rival.

That lap left Verstappen 0.204s away from Hamilton. He shaved 0.003s off that time later in his run, but had that lap deleted for infringing track limits at the final corner.

Valtteri Bottas – who faces a three-place grid penalty for his Friday pitlane spin – was third quickest ahead of the second Red Bull of Sergio Perez.

AlphaTauri continued its strong form with fifth and sixth for Yuki Tsunoda and Pierre Gasly, the latter back in action with a fresh MGU-K on his Honda engine after sitting out practice two.

Charles Leclerc was top Ferrari in seventh, followed by the Alpine of Fernando Alonso and the two Aston Martins.

McLaren had a muted session, with Daniel Ricciardo and Lando Norris a low-key 17th and 19th – Norris having had his best time deleted over track limits.

A spin for @nikita_mazepin at Turn 1

The @HaasF1Team driver continues on 👍#StyrianGP 🇦🇹 #F1 pic.twitter.com/lzo4ECtxg8

— Formula 1 (@F1) June 26, 2021

A Nikita Mazepin spin at Turn 3 was the only significant incident during the hour.

Practice 3 Results