Charles Leclerc logged a time of 1m27.419s before the rain started falling, briefly intensifying to a point where it dampened the track, subsequently reducing the grip for the latter half of the practice session.
In the early stages, Max Verstappen clocked a time of 1m28.836s on medium tires, but the Ferrari pair of Leclerc and Carlos Sainz posed a challenge. However, neither Ferrari driver could outpace Verstappen in the final sector, despite being on softer tires, with Leclerc recording a time of 1m29.000s to initially secure the second spot.
The two Mercedes, with George Russell dividing the Ferraris and Lewis Hamilton outpacing them, then forced their way into the top tier of the timesheet. Hamilton was only 0.13s slower than Verstappen’s initial time, despite using soft tires.
Verstappen improved his time with a 1m28.266s but was overtaken by Sainz’s following soft-tire run, which saw him recording a 1m27.964s, claiming the top spot as the first 15 minutes of the session concluded.
Leclerc then followed suit, surpassing Verstappen but still 0.1s behind Sainz’s pace. However, Hamilton then set a new top time of 1m27.948s, a time that Sainz couldn’t beat after losing time in the lap’s middle sector.
Leclerc, after achieving top times in all sectors, then surpassed Hamilton with a 1m27.419s time, over half a second faster than Hamilton’s previous best.
Rain then started threatening at Turn 15, accompanied by lightning and dark clouds over Silverstone, inducing more soft-tire runs in anticipation of the qualifying round. Alex Albon was delayed due to an electrical problem that his Williams team needed to quickly fix.
Once he hit the track, Albon was quick in the first sector on his softs, but his time was 0.173s slower than Leclerc’s. As the threat of rain grew, Fernando Alonso of Aston Martin moved into third place.
Rain started falling, leading the drivers to return to their pit garages, with Leclerc staying out for an extra lap on slicks, presumably to get a feel for the wet track.
As the rain eased up, a few drivers, including Lando Norris, ventured onto the track on intermediate tires. Russell reported light rain but indicated the track was still suitable for slicks as the drizzle lightened.
Norris tried soft tires to gauge the drying track, despite reports of more rain incoming. A minor off-road moment at Stowe coincided with more rain, and he eventually returned to the pits.
In the final 15 minutes of the session, heavyweights Red Bull, Ferrari, and Mercedes all conducted additional intermediate runs, although neither Verstappen nor Leclerc was particularly impressed with the life of the intermediate tires.
Most of the field concluded the final practice session with their own intermediate runs, in anticipation of any further bad weather that might impact qualifying.
Pierre Gasly followed Alonso on the timing board, ahead of Hamilton and Sainz. Logan Sargeant also continued Williams’ strong weekend performance, clocking the seventh-fastest time.
Verstappen’s best lap on mediums placed him eighth, slightly ahead of George Russell, while Yuki Tsunoda and Nyck de Vries of AlphaTauri secured 10th and 11th places, beating 12th-placed Norris.
An incident involving Norris’s McLaren team leaving a cooling fan at the rear of his car was investigated by the stewards after the session, which resulted in a €1000 fine and a formal warning for McLaren from the FIA.
The full results are as follows:
- Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – 1’27.419
- Alex Albon (Williams) – 1’27.592 (+0.173)
- Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) – 1’27.784 (+0.365)
- Pierre Gasly (Alpine) – 1’27.893 (+0.474)
- Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) – 1’27.948 (+0.529)
- Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) – 1’27.964 (+0.545)
- Logan Sargeant (Williams) – 1’28.151 (+0.732)
- Max Verstappen (Red Bull) – 1’28.266 (+0.847)
- George Russell (Mercedes) – 1’28.284 (+0.865)
- Yuki Tsunoda (AlphaTauri) – 1’28.337 (+0.918)
- Nyck de Vries (AlphaTauri) – 1’28.504 (+1.085)
- Lando Norris (McLaren) – 1’28.563 (+1.144)
…and so on. [VIEW FULL RESULTS]
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about F1 British GP FP3
Who topped the F1 British Grand Prix FP3?
Charles Leclerc from Ferrari topped the F1 British Grand Prix FP3 with a time of 1m27.419s.
Who were the significant competitors in the F1 British GP FP3?
Key competitors in the F1 British GP FP3 included Max Verstappen, Lewis Hamilton, Carlos Sainz, and Fernando Alonso.
What happened during the F1 British GP FP3?
The F1 British GP FP3 saw Charles Leclerc topping the timesheet before a rainfall hit the circuit. The rain disrupted the session, forcing drivers to adjust their tire strategy and timing.
How did the weather affect the F1 British GP FP3?
The weather greatly affected the F1 British GP FP3. As rainfall started to fall on the track, it caused a reduction in grip, leading to alterations in driver strategy and a shift to intermediate tire runs.
Which team faced an electrical issue during the F1 British GP FP3?
The Williams team, with driver Alex Albon, faced an electrical issue during the initial moments of the F1 British GP FP3, which required quick fixes.
What was the incident involving Lando Norris’s McLaren team?
During the F1 British GP FP3, Lando Norris’s McLaren team left a cooling fan at the back of his car. The stewards investigated the incident after the session, and McLaren received a €1000 fine and a formal warning from the FIA.
More about F1 British GP FP3
- F1 Official Website
- British Grand Prix Wikipedia Page
- Charles Leclerc’s Official Profile
- Max Verstappen’s Official Profile
- Lewis Hamilton’s Official Profile
6 comments
anyone noticed how alonso is creeping up there? dont write off the old guard yet.
ughhh the rain! ruined a perfect session 🙁 hamilton was doing great.
Verstappen could’ve pushed more! What happened there Max?
can’t blieve albon’s bad luck with that electrical glitch. good to see him bounce back though!
Wow! Leclerc is nailing it again! those ferrari guys are on fire this season.
poor Norris, those stewards sure don’t miss a thing. hope the fine doesn’t hurt McLaren too much.