Ferrari continued to remain on top in the final practice session of F1 German GP as Charles Leclerc headed Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen and Sebastian Vettel.
The weather conditions changed in F1 German GP at Hockenheim for FP3 after overnight showers lowered the temperatures as expected, but Ferrari stayed ahead with Leclerc clocking a 1m12.380s as Verstappen (1m12.548s) slotted in second.
The Dutchman beat Sebastian Vettel (1m12.644s) with both Red Bull and Ferrari looking good ahead of the Mercedes drivers. Lewis Hamilton moved into fourth but his quickest lap time was deleted due to track limits in the final corner.
He dropped down to sixth with a 1m12.965s. Even Vettel had multiple lap times deleted but it wasn’t any of his quick laps. Meanwhile, Valtteri Bottas (1m12.890s) was fourth with Haas’ Kevin Magnussen (1m12.893s) doing a solid job in fifth.
The Dane continued with the new German GP spec but it proved to be much better on Saturday than Friday. Behind Hamilton was McLaren’s Carlos Sainz (1m13.300s) in seventh with Red Bull’s Pierre Gasly (1m13.324s) only eighth.
The Top 10 was rounded out by Alfa Romeo Racing’s Kimi Raikkonen (1m13.351s) and Haas’ Romain Grosjean (1m13.378s) with Racing Point’s Sergio Perez (1m13.476s) missing out in 11th from Renault’s Nico Hulkenberg (1m13.496s).
It wasn’t a clean session for Hamilton, who was looking out for the right set-up all session and he was not happy with the retro gloves as well, which Bottas did wear. Meanwhile, replays also showed Vettel colliding with a bird on one of his laps.
The track limits lap cut had Sainz and Raikkonen joining in too as did 13th and 14th placed Toro Rosso’s Alexander Albon (1m13.554s) and McLaren’s Lando Norris (1m13.556s). The Top 15 was rounded out by Alfa Romeo’s Antonio Giovinazzi (1m13.671s).
Behind him was Racing Point’s Lance Stroll (1m13.672s) in 16th with Toro Rosso’s Danill Kvyat (1m13.767s) lining-up 17th after his lap was deleted too. Renault’s Daniel Ricciardo (1m13.816s) did not have a great session to be only 18th.
The Williams duo were 19th and 20th with Robert Kubica (1m15.540s) ahead of George Russell (1m15.824s) as the former had a new chassis fitted after Friday, while the latter had things broken off in the final session to do just the 11 laps.
German GP Friday F1 Talk: Ferrari pace, Gasly, Haas/Racing Point & more
