Verstappen fifth in final Red Bull Ring free practice

Published on 29 June 2019 by Kees-Jan Koster

Max Verstappen set the fifth time in the third free practice for the Austrian Grand Prix. The Dutchman made a total of 18 laps with 1:04.446 as quickest time, less than half a second slower than the Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc, who set the fastest time. Both Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas followed in short distance in second and third position.

The third free practice gets underway on the Red Bull Rings under a clear blue sky and a temperature of almost 25 degrees. Many drivers wait patiently to get out on track. Carlos Sainz is after more than ten minutes the first driver to set a time. When the top teams come out on track, it is Valtteri Bottas who sets the first serious time of 1:05.510. A little later Pierre Gasly complains over the radio that he does not have power. After one slow lap the Frenchman returns to the pits.

Accompanied by loud cheering from the many Dutch fans, Max comes out on the soft tires for the first run of the day. The Dutchman sets a time of 1:05.241 in his first flying lap, which at that time is good for a fourth place.

Max improves his time in the next lap (1:04.670) and stays in fourth position. Verstappen makes another couple of laps at racing speed, before he returns to the pits. At the other side of the Aston Martin Red Bull Racing garage the problem with Gasly’s car is fixed, which makes that the Frenchmen with still 20 minutes on the clock can enter the track again.

With a time of 1:03.987 Charles Leclerc is the first driver this weekend to set a time under the 1:04. With another ten minutes to go in the third free practice, Max improves his time a little bit (1:04.446), but stays in fourth position. Max says over the radio that the changes made to the RB15 do not have the desired effect. The Dutchman returns to his team. There is one more lap as the chequered flag dropped to make a practice start.

Verstappen finished the session in fifth position, making eighteen laps. Leclerc sets the quickest time in a session without any major incidents, followed by the Mercedes of Hamilton and Bottas. Again the McLaren’s are doing well in sixed and eighth position.

At 3 PM the qualifying will start on the circuit in Spielberg.

Austrian GP contest: win a 1:43 scale model of Max' victory in Austria 2018!

Results third free practice Austria: