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Monaco GP: Verstappen fastest in FP3 after double red flag interruption

  • Darshan Chokhani
    • F1, Moncaco GP, Max Verstappen

    MONTE-CARLO, MONACO - MAY 20: Max Verstappen of the Netherlands driving the (33) Red Bull Racing RB16B Honda during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Monaco at Circuit de Monaco on May 20, 2021 in Monte-Carlo, Monaco. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202105201551 // Usage for editorial use only //

    Red Bull’s Max Verstappen topped F1 Monaco GP FP3 session from Ferrari duo of Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc after another red flag end.

    The F1 Monaco GP FP3 saw a close fight between Red Bull and Ferrari, with Mercedes a bit behind under cloudy conditions, on a dry track. Verstappen (1m11.294s) just managed to beat Sainz (1m11.341s) in the end with a 0.047s as Leclerc (1m11.552s) ending up third.

    Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas (1m11.765s) improved late to be fourth but teammate Lewis Hamilton (1m12.020s) was only seventh after he was unable to do his final lap due to late red flag. Red Bull’s Sergio Perez (1m11.817s) was fifth from McLaren’s Lando Norris (1m11.988s).

    There was double red flag interruptions, the first one was for Williams’ Nicholas Latifi, who binned it in the Swimming Pool section, while the second one was for Haas’ Mick Schumacher, who crashed at Casino Square – destroying his front and rear both.

    The second red flag ended the session early after Schumacher lost his rear, as the Top 10 behind Hamilton was rounded out by Alfa Romeo’s Kimi Raikkonen (1m12.298s) in eighth, AlphaTauri’s Pierre Gasly (1m12.357s) and Aston Martin’s Sebastian Vettel (1m12.537s).

    There was also a moment between Norris and Sainz early in the session, when the Brit nearly crashed into the Spaniard in the final corner. The other Alfa Romeo of Antonio Giovinazzi was 11th from Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll.

    McLaren’s Daniel Ricciardo was only 13th with Schumacher improving late in 14th from Alpine’s Fernando Alonso, who had Haas’ Nikita Mazepin behind him. The Williams pair of George Russell and Latifi were next up in 17th and 18th.

    AlphaTauri’s Yuki Tsunoda was only 19th ahead of Alpine’s Esteban Ocon, both unable to improve due to the late red flag to end the F1 Monaco GP FP3 session.

    Here’s what happened on Thursday of F1 Monaco GP