The duel between Ferrari et Red Bull continues at the Monaco Grand Prix, this time with a slight advantage at the bull mark in Free Practice 3.
The soft tires were out from the start of the session, and most of the drivers embarked on a stint of ten or even fifteen laps. The lap times fell gradually, to achieve perfect equality between Sergio Pérez et Charles Leclerc in 1’13″297 shortly before mid-session. Lewis Hamiltonhe was eighth at 1.230 seconds. “But where are that second and those two tenths? I don’t know where they are!” he dropped on the radio, annoyed.
Leclerc then improved to 1’12″885, three tenths ahead of Pérez, four ahead Max Verstappen and six ahead Carlos Sainz. The AlphaTauri were the “best of the others”, with a second deficit.
After these long stints, the competitors shod another set of new soft tires in search of pure performance. Leclerc and Pérez exchanged the best time on several occasions, but it was the Mexican who finally took first place in this session, with a time of 1’12″476 against 1’12″517 for his opponent. Sainz and Verstappen, meanwhile, were relegated to four tenths.
Pierre Gasly confirmed the good form of AlphaTauri in fifth place, but he was only 16 thousandths ahead of the McLaren of Lando Norriswhile Lewis Hamilton, Kevin Magnussen, George Russell et Fernando Alonso completed the top 10. Russell complained in particular that his car was dragging too far.
Further down the rankings, the Aston Martins, the Alfa Romeo and the Williams (as well as Daniel Ricciardo) were in trouble. Lance Stroll moreover had the only accident of the session, a touch a little too strong with the rail at the exit of the Swimming pool after having taken off on the vibrator.
The commissioners will in any case have their work cut out for them between this session and qualifying, having three cases of discomfort to study with potential penalties: between Sainz and Stroll, between Verstappen and Zhou, as well as between Pérez and Russell . They have already decided not to investigate the case of the Vettel/Sainz incident, when the Aston Martin driver found the Ferrari on his way to Massenet.
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Monaco Grand Prix – Free Practice 3
Monaco Grand Prix – Free Practice 3 