FP3 Suzuka: Red Bull Racing sets the pace / Formula 1

After the second session of free practice at Suzuka did not provide the opportunity to collect qualifying and race information due to rain, the GP teams and their drivers could look forward to a dry track with an outside temperature of just under 17 degrees. Celsius on Saturday. The slope temperature was 25 degrees when the last hour of free training started. The route quickly filled up and it didn’t take long for spectators to see the first ride.

After just four minutes, Kevin Magnussen braked at the hairpin corner and did a half-spin, but was able to continue. The two Red Bull Racing stars were not happy either. With champion Max Verstappen complaining about shaking rear-view mirrors, Pérez was annoyed by the way his car was handling.

The next driver to make a mistake was Daniel Ricciardo 13 minutes later. The Australian made a mistake in the second bend of the Japanese rollercoaster as the Haas driver earlier, was able to continue driving after the spin.

Lewis Hamilton had already set the fastest time on soft tyres, Verstappen was second at the break ahead of McLaren duo Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri and Red Bull Racing team-mate Pérez. Charles Leclerc, Yuki Tsunoda, Valtteri Bottas, Fernando Alonso and Carlos Sainz completed the top 10 ahead of Guanyu Zhou, Ricciardo, Lance Stroll, Pierre Gasly, Nico Hülkenberg, Esteban Ocon, Logan Sargeant, Alex Albon, Kevin Magnussen and George Russell.

Afterwards, the drivers aimed to complete a long race to gather information for Sunday’s race. It was only in the last 10 minutes that the drivers began to chase again at high speed and Verstappen pushed the record to 1:29.563 minutes. Teammate Pérez lined up behind him, followed by the two stars of Mercedes Russell and Hamilton in front of Alonso. Norris, Sainz, Piastri, Tsunoda and Leclerc. According to the fastest ten, the order was Albon ahead of Bottas, Ricciardo, Ocon, Zhou, Hülkenberg, Gasly, Stroll, Sargeant and Magnussen.

Nothing changed at the top, Verstappen was able to celebrate the best time ahead of Pérez, Russell, Hamilton and Alonso. Norris, Sainz, Piastri, Tsunoda and Leclerc completed the top 10. Albon, Bottas, Ricciardo, Ocon, Zhou, Hülkenberg, Gasly, Stroll, Sargeant and Magnussen followed in another row.

3. Studies, Japan

01. Max Verstappen (NL), Red Bull Racing, 1:29,563 minutes
02. Sergio Pérez (MEX), Red Bull Racing, 1:29.832
03. George Russell (GB), Mercedes, 1:29,918
04. Lewis Hamilton (GB), Mercedes, 1:30,037
05. Fernando Alonso (E), Aston Martin, 1:30.082
06. Lando Norris (GB), McLaren, 1:30.137
07. Carlos Sainz (E), Ferrari, 1:30.171
08. Oscar Piastri (AUS), McLaren, 1:30.226
09. Yuki Tsunoda (J), Racing Bulls, 1:30,341
10. Charles Leclerc (MC), Ferrari, 1:30,383
11. Alex Albon (T), Williams, 1:30,533
12. Valtteri Bottas (FIN), Sauber, 1:30.546
13. Daniel Ricciardo (AUS), Bull Racing, 1:30.682
14. Esteban Ocon (F), Alpine, 1:31,022
15. Guanyu Zhou (RCH), Sauber, 1:31,067
16. Nico Hülkenberg (D), Haas, +1:31,139
17. Pierre Gasly (F), Alpine, 1:31,141
18. Lance Stroll (CDN), Aston Martin, 1:31,342
19. Logan Sargeant (USA), Williams, 1:31,452
20. Kevin Magnussen (DK), Haas, 1:31.462