Max quickest in final practice: "Happy with progress"

Published on 29 October 2016 by Stefan Meens

With a fastest lap of 1:19.137, Max Verstappen was quickest in the final free practice session of the Mexican Grand Prix. Lewis Hamilton occupied second place, two tenths adrift the Red Bull Racing driver. The Dutchman’s team mate, Daniel Ricciardo, completed the top three

“This session went well. I’m happy with the progress we’ve made on the super-softs. I’m looking forward to qualifying!”

Apart from a few installation laps, proper on track action does not happen until fifteen minutes into FP3, when the Mercedes set their first lap times. The Red Bulls hit the track almost half an hour into the session.

Max heads on the soft Pirellis and shows promising pace, vastly quicker than team mate Ricciardo. The team responds by telling the Australian: “The biggest difference with Verstappen is the apex speed in the first corner, the entry speed into turn two without loosing exit speed and the exit out of turn four. He basically brakes later.” Ricciardo listens to the team and posts a near identical time to his younger colleague.

The final fifteen minutes are all about qualifying simulations. Max’ quickest effort is unmatched – not even by Ricciardo, who is troubled by traffic. Only Lewis Hamilton is able to match the Red Bulls for pace as he splits the two RBR divers. Max therefore finishes on top, followed by the world champion and Ricciardo.

Mexican Grand Prix - Autodromo Hermanos Rodríguez - Saturday 29 October

FREE PRACTICE 3 RESULTS

01 33 Max Verstappen      Red Bull Racing TAG Heuer   1:19.137           16
02 44 Lewis Hamilton      Mercedes                    1:19.231  +0.094s  23
03  3 Daniel Ricciardo    Red Bull Racing TAG Heuer   1:19.370  +0.233s  17
04  6 Nico Rosberg        Mercedes                    1:19.618  +0.481s  27
05 77 Valtteri Bottas     Williams Mercedes           1:19.811  +0.674s  19
06  5 Sebastian Vettel    Ferrari                     1:19.937  +0.800s  16
07  7 Kimi Räikkönen      Ferrari                     1:19.994  +0.857s  16
08 19 Felipe Massa        Williams Mercedes           1:19.997  +0.860s  22
09 27 Nico Hulkenberg     Force India Mercedes        1:20.255  +1.118s  21
10 55 Carlos Sainz        Toro Rosso Ferrari          1:20.325  +1.188s  22
11 11 Sergio Perez        Force India Mercedes        1:20.472  +1.335s  20
12 26 Daniil Kvyat        Toro Rosso Ferrari          1:20.586  +1.449s  20
13 14 Fernando Alonso     McLaren Honda               1:20.600  +1.463s  18
14 30 Jolyon Palmer       Renault                     1:20.959  +1.822s  18
15 22 Jenson Button       McLaren Honda               1:21.152  +2.015s  19
16  9 Marcus Ericsson     Sauber Ferrari              1:21.245  +2.108s  21
17 21 Esteban Gutierrez   Haas Ferrari                1:21.338  +2.201s  16
18 20 Kevin Magnussen     Renault                     1:21.345  +2.208s  17
19  8 Romain Grosjean     Haas Ferrari                1:21.601  +2.464s  15
20 94 Pascal Wehrlein     MRT Mercedes                1:21.758  +2.621s  23
21 31 Esteban Ocon        MRT Mercedes                1:21.921  +2.784s  22
22 12 Felipe Nasr         Sauber Ferrari              1:22.354  +3.217s  18

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