Third training in France
Verstappen pole favorite – Alfa-Sauber in danger?
Can Mercedes surprise in 12th qualifying of the season? Well, so far the two top teams have shared the best starting position: Leclerc 6, Verstappen 3, Sainz 1 and Pérez 1. Verstappen is once more the fastest in the third practice session.
The three-part time hunt starts at 4 p.m. (SRF2 live from 3.55 p.m.). Interesting who gets caught in the first 18 minutes (Q1) this time. Actually, no one is “set” this time. You also have to be extremely careful with Alfa-Sauber. Because the third training session didn’t go much better than Friday: 14th Bottas, 15th Zhou.
The rubber suffers
The temperatures in southern France have hardly become friendlier for Formula 1: over 30 degrees in the shade and 53 on the asphalt. It goes without saying that the rubber suffers the most and is worn out. And it is precisely with Pirelli that Ferrari sees the biggest opponent for the race on Sunday at 3 p.m. (live in the ticker).
After the double victory on Friday (Sainz just ahead of Leclerc), the Italians were not optimistic – even if world champion Verstappen in the Red Bull Honda was more than half a second behind. But the “long runs” on different tires (distance tests) spoke clearly for the Dutchman.
Last row: Sainz and Magnussen
The third training showed once more the superiority of Verstappen. And he once once more demonstrated his dominance of the team, even if Pérez is still dreaming of the title with 57 points behind Max.
At Ferrari, the hierarchy is also given: Leclerc is the clear number 1 without bankruptcies, bad luck and breakdowns. Teammate Sainz is the ideal partner, fast, calm and mostly loyal. But the Spaniard is the next penalty spot victim, not only has to change the control electronics – from the last row. Even if he was ahead in the third practice session.
Like Sainz, Kevin Magnussen has to start from the back in the Haas-Ferrari. Mick Schumacher’s teammate had the fourth engine used.
Points from 19th place on the grid
Incidentally, in 2022 three drivers from 19th on the grid made it into the World Championship points: Leclerc in Montreal (5th), Schumi in Silverstone (8th) and Alonso in Spielberg (10th). What does Sainz achieve?
After 40 minutes in the last gallop, we already saw Sir Lewis Hamilton in fourth behind Verstappen, Leclerc and Sainz. The 103-time winner and pole setter dreams of a sensation with his fans in the 300th race! “We’re getting closer and closer to the top!”
Attention Williams-Mercedes
The new Williams-Mercedes seems to have been a hit: 8th Albon, 12th Latifi. Will the upswing be enough to get rid of the tenth and last World Cup place with three points? The team that has disappointed the most so far, Aston Martin-Mercedes, still has a 15-point lead. The “Greens” have slipped into no man’s land.
