Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton clean swept the practice sessions by topping FP3 in F1 Australian GP ahead of Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel and Charles Leclerc.
Hamilton (1m22.292s) continued on his fine form to start the 2019 F1 season with the Australian GP at Albert Park circuit in Melbourne with the Mercedes driver ending up quickest in FP3 on Saturday from Ferrari’s Vettel (1m22.556s).
The German lost some time in the final sector which could mean, he is much closer to Hamilton. His teammate Leclerc slotted in third with the two Haas drivers Romain Grosjean (1m23.112s) and Kevin Magnussen (1m23.334s) in fourth and fifth.
The American team beating the likes of Red Bull Racing and Renault with the former’s Pierre Gasly (1m23367s) in sixth where he pushed Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas (1m23.422s) to seventh with the Finn losing chunk of time in the final sector due to a twitchy moment.
Toro Rosso’s Daniil Kvyat (1m23.442s) was eighth ahead of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen (1m23.481s), with the Dutchman having issues on his car as he led the Renault drivers Daniel Ricciardo (1m23.695s) and Nico Hulkenberg (1m23.737s) in 10th and 11th.
Alfa Romeo Racing’s Antonio Giovinazzi (1m23.831s) ended up 12th with an improved McLaren’s Carlos Sainz (1m24.049s) in 13th leading another improved runner from Friday, Racing Point’s Sergio Perez (1m24.082s).
After some troubled time in FP1 and FP2, Toro Rosso’s Alexander Albon (1m24.328s) had a sedate run in FP3 to be 15th with Racing Point’s Lance Stroll (1m24.345s) in 16th ahead of Alfa Romeo’s Kimi Raikkonen (1m24.402s), who encountered traffic on his quick lap.
McLaren’s Lando Norris (1m24.568s) was 18th ahead of the two Williams with George Russell (1m25.944s) leading Robert Kubica (1m26.589s). The Pole had a slight run-in with the wall on the entry into the pitlane in otherwise smooth run.
Check out how the FP1 and FP2 F1 sessions go in Australian GP