Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen stayed on top in the third practice session of Formula 1 Mexico Grand Prix ahead of Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel.
The weather stayed dry for FP3 session but the track remained wet for most part as the drivers and the teams opted to start the session on the intermediate and wet compounds – although no one completed a timed lap to save the tyres.
Once the track started to dry, the hypersoft compound was the choice by the drivers and teams with Verstappen (1m16.284s) staying on top for the third successive session in the weekend, showcasing the Red Bull’s superiority.
Hamilton (1m16.538s) was second with Vettel (1m16.566s) in third as the two manufacturers finally got ahead of the Renault drivers. Red Bull Racing’s Daniel Ricciardo (1m17.028s) was fourth with Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen (1m17.045s) rounding the Top 5.
Sauber’s Charles Leclerc (1m17.059s) slotted in sixth with Renault’s Carlos Sainz (1m17.336s) in seventh from Toro Rosso’s Pierre Gasly (1m17.525s), Sauber’s Marcus Ericsson (1m17.565s) and Renault’s Nico Hulkenberg (1m17.623s) in the Top 10.
Once again Racing Point Force India’s Esteban Ocon (1m17.731s) and Sergio Perez (1m17.819s) were there and thereabouts in the Top 10 finishing 11th and 12th respectively with Haas’ Romain Grosjean (1m18.145s) in 13th.
McLaren’s Stoffel Vandoorne (1m18.445s) did well in 14th ahead of teammate Fernando Alonso (1m18.548s) with Toro Rosso’s Brendon Hartley (1m18.637s) in 16th from Williams’ duo Sergey Sirotkin (1m18.669s) and Lance Stroll (1m18.698s) in 17th and 18th.
Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas (1m18.839s) was only 19th after a hydraulic issue ended his run early in the session with Haas’ Kevin Magnussen unable to set any lap time due to intercooler change which kept him in the garage for the whole session.