Mexican GP 2023
OCTOBER 28, 2023
Practice 3 Report - Verstappen tops final practice
© Williams
By Peter Habicht
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen took the top spot again for today’s final free practice session ahead of qualifying this afternoon in Mexico City. Williams’ Alex Albon looked very connected to his FW46, just 0.07s behind the Dutchman and ahead of his teammate Sergio Perez, who was followed by Mercedes’ George Russell, McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, Alfa Romeo’s Valtteri Bottas and AlphaTauri’s Yuki Tsunoda.
Mclaren’s Lando Norris, AlphaTauri’s Daniel Ricciardo and Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton made up the top ten on the timesheets today. It is difficult to draw conclusions about outright pace differences between cars given unknown fuel loads in today’s session, but it appears that lower track temperatures expected in qualifying later today are expected to make for a greater lap time difference between soft and medium tire choices on the slippery, low abrasion circuit.
Logan Sargeant was 11th fastest for Williams in the session, followed by Alfa Romeo’s Guanyu Zho, Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, Aston’s Lance Stroll and Leclerc’s Teammate Carlos Sainz. Both Ferrari drivers were held up on hot laps (Sainz by Stroll, Leclerc by Haas’ Kevin Magnussen) in the closing minutes by traffic the were on the racing line as they approached.
Haas’ Nico Hulkenberg waited until the final ten minutes to set a time and was 16th fastest, followed by Aston’s Fernando Alonso, Alpine’e Pierre Gasly, Kevin Magnussen and Gasly’s teammate Esteban Ocon.
Qualifying starts today at 3p.