Red Bull’s Dutch driver Max Verstappen, the world champion and overall leader, set the fastest time in the third and final free practice round of the French Grand Prix at Le Castolet on Saturday, which makes him a candidate to excel in official qualifying as well.
Verstappen, 24, outperformed everyone when he slashed Paul Ricard’s track in a time of one minute 32.272 seconds on soft tyres, while Ferrari’s Spaniard Carlos Sainz finished second by 0.354 seconds.
Sainz does not pose any threat to Verstappen because the Spanish driver will start tomorrow’s race from last place due to the penalty for changing the engine following the power unit in his car burned out in the last round in Austria two weeks ago.
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari’s Monegasque and Verstappen’s closest rival, set the third fastest time of the round, 0.637 seconds behind the Red Bull favorite to dominate in formal qualifying later on Saturday.
“I don’t know why,” Leclerc complained regarding the soft tires following his car veered off the lane.
Mercedes’ British seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton finished fourth in the round, directly ahead of veteran Mexican Sergio Perez in Red Bull’s second, while Britain’s George Russell finished sixth in the second Mercedes.
Former two-time world champion Alpine driver Fernando Alonso finished seventh, followed by Alex Albon in Williams, a Briton born in Thailand.
