Max second in final free practice at Mugello

Published on 12 September 2020 by Kees-Jan Koster

Max Verstappen set the second fastest time in the third and final free practice session for the Tuscan Grand Prix. With a lap time of 1:16.547 Max was only 0.017 seconds slower than the fastest man Valtteri Bottas. Lewis Hamilton was a little slower than Verstappen and finished third.

Under warm and sunny circumstances, the third free practice session starts on the 5.245 km long Mugello circuit. As happens more often in the third free practice the drivers wait patiently to come out on track. In the first fifteen minutes of the session only Bottas sets a time.

With more than half an hour to go Max comes as the last of all drivers out on track. With a set of the medium tyres on his RB16, Max sets a time of 1:17.298 in his first flying lap and is in second position. After a cool down lap, Max goes again. He sets the then fastest lap of 1:17.116, before returning to the Aton Martin Red Bull Racing garage.

Subsequently Bottas and Hamilton dive under Max’ time on soft tyres. Verstappen comes out on track in the final phase of the session on the soft tyres for his final flying lap. With a lap time of 1:16.547 Max finishes in second position only a fraction slower than Bottas. In the end the Dutchman does ten laps in a session without any notable incidents. Lewis Hamilton finishes within 0.083 seconds off Mercedes teammate Bottas in third position. Lance Stroll and Pierre Gasly finish fourth and fifth, while George Russell is the only driver not to set a time, caused by breaking issues of his Williams.

At 15:00 Dutch time qualifying for the Tuscan Grand Prix starts.

Tuscan GP contest: win the Max Verstappen RB12 Japan 1:43 scale model!

Results third free practice Tuscany: