F1 Canadian GP: Max Verstappen tops wet final practice as Carlos Sainz crashes and Mercedes struggle
Verstappen ended up 0.291s♚ faster than Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, with Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso the next quickest driver, some 1.3s off the pace in thirꦇd.
Kevin Magnussen put his Haas fourth, 🔜ahead of Sainz, who caused the only red flag of FP3 when he spun off into the barriers at T🦹urn 1.
Sainz touched the painted white lines and lost control of his SF-23 which sustained heavy damage to both the front and rear-end.⛦
It was a difficult session for the Spaniard, who has also been summoned to see the Canadian Grand Prix stewar💯ds for potentially impedin🅠g Alex Albon’s Williams.
After topping the only rep🌠resentative practice session on Friday, Mercedes went backwards in the wet.
Lewis Hamilton could only 🎉manage a lap time good enough for 10th, 1.9s off Verstappen, while teammate George Russell was down in 15th as both Mercedes drivers struggled to generate temperature in their intermediate tyres.
That will be a co𓆏ncern for Mercedes heading into qualifying, which is set to take place in similar conditions.
Alpine’s Pierre Gasly was sixth-fastest ahead of Lance Stroll’s Aston Mart🅺in and Yuki Tsunoda, who spun twice in ꦑhis AlphaTauri.
Alfa Romeo’s Valtteri Bottas and Hamilton co𝔍mpleted the top-10 order.꧂
Sergio Perez had a tricky session, finishing 17th and nearly three seconds adrift of Red Bull teamma🐈te Verstappen.
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