Verstappen fastest ahead of Imola qualifying, Norris second for McLaren

Max Verstappen set the fastest lap of the weekend in Imola and took first place in the third free practice for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, while Lando Norris set the second time for McLaren.

The track temperature at the start of FP3 was 21 degrees Celsius with an air temperature of 11 degrees, and Raikkonen was the first to set a time of 1:17.331 on medium tires, half a second ahead of Schumacher in The Hague.

Ferrari drivers came out on the track 15 minutes after the start, also on medium tyres, and Leclerc took first place with only 0.010 s advantage over Raikkonen while Sainz was third with 0.265 s gap.

Sainz took the lead 20 minutes after the start with a time of 1:16.901, and Leclerc knocked him down in his next lap with a time of 1:16.795 while behind two Ferraris were Giovinazzi and Raikkonen in Alfa Romeo.

Perez took first place on medium tires with a lap of 1:16.642, and five minutes before half of training Mercedes drivers Hamilton and Bottas and Verstappen in Red Bull on the track came out on soft tyres.

Bottas discarded his first fast lap and his second was wiped out for disrespecting the track limits at the Piratella corner as Hamilton and Verstappen prepared for their first fast laps on soft tyres.

Latifi at that moment went off in the Villeneuve chicane and hit the barriers at low speed, but even that was enough to damage his front wing and cause a short red flag. The Canadian managed to get back to the pits so the drivers were soon given the green light to continue.

Hamilton drove 1:17.129 in the first lap on the soft, Verstappen took first place with a 1:16.2 lap that was later deleted due to non-compliance with the Piratella track boundaries while Bottas drove a few seconds slower in the first lap before taking the top with time 1:15.984.

Hamilton then drove a 1:16.158 lap that was also deleted due to Piratella track limits violation and Verstappen fiercely crossed the high yellow curbs in the Acqa Mineralli in his next fast lap and then slowed down.

Verstappen drove 1:15.895 20 minutes before the end and a minute later Leclerc brought Ferrari to the top with a lap of 1:15.738 on soft tyres while Gasly was 0.152 slower for AlphaTauri on medium tyres.

Hamilton was next to take the lead with a lap of 1:15.515 and was then taken down by Norris at McLaren with a time of 1:15.414 before Verstappen took first place with 1:14.958 with the best times in the second and third sectors.

Hamilton finished third fastest with 0.557 seconds behind Verstappen, and Perez was 0.593 seconds behind teammate Verstappen in fourth place.

Ferrari drivers Leclerc and Sainz finished fifth and seventh, separated by Gasly in AlphaTauri on medium tyres, five places ahead of teammate Tsunoda in 11th place.

Bottas was only eighth in the second Mercedes with the same time as Sainz in the Ferrari while Alonso and Ocon took ninth and tenth place for Alpine.

Stroll was again faster than Vettel in 12th and 14th place for Aston Martin and between them was Ricciardo in McLaren who could not keep up with his teammate Norris.

Russell was faster than Latifi for the first time this weekend in 15th place for Williams ahead of Schumacher in Haas who was faster than Latifi in second Williams while Alfa Romeo drivers Giovinazzi and Raikkonen were faster only than Mazepin in Haas who was once again the slowest.

Qualifying for the second race of the season in Imola starts at 14:00 local time

FP3 RESULTS

2021 EMILIA ROMAGNA GP TIMETABLE