Azerbaijan GP 2019
APRIL 27, 2019
Practice 3 Report - Fleet Ferraris
© RV Press
By Dan Knutson
Azerbaijan Grand Prix
The Ferraris were untouchable in Free Practice 3 for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, clocking times more than a second faster than their nearest competition. And fastest of all was Charles Leclerc.
The line-up for the weekend was: Mercedes – Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas; Ferrari – Sebastian Vettel and Leclerc; Red Bull TAG Heuer –Max Verstappen and Pierre Gasly; Renault – Daniel Ricciardo and Nico Hulkenberg; Haas Ferrari – Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen; McLaren Renault – Carlos Sainz and Lando Norris; Racing Point Mercedes – Sergio Perez and Lance Stroll; Alfa Romeo Ferrari – Kimi Raikkonen and Antonio Giovinazzi; Toro Rosso Honda – Daniil Kvyat and Alexander Albon; Williams Mercedes – Russell and Robert Kubica.
Leclerc went fastest in FP2 on Friday with a time of 1:42.872. FP1 had been wiped out after Russell’s Williams got torn up by a loose manhole cover.
"After a day like today, it's difficult to get a clear picture of where we all stand, especially in terms of long run pace, when I think traffic was a factor,” Leclerc said Friday evening. “In qualifying trim, I felt comfortable, but also in this aspect, we will have to wait until tomorrow to get a clearer picture. However, we still have quite a bit of work to do to get the maximum out of the SF90 and that's what we will concentrate on in the final free practice session. If we manage that, then we can be competitive."
Hamilton set the early pace in FP3 with a lap of 1:43.929 on the medium compound Pirellis slicks. But Leclerc soon was back in front after clocking a 1:42.638. Vettel was second, 0.313 of a second slower.
Unlike Friday when many drivers slid down the various escape roads, they were staying on track a bit more. One reason was that the track was not quite so dusty; another was that a number of teams had put more downforce on the cars.
Halfway through the session the order was Leclerc, Vettel, Hamilton, Albon, Verstappen, Kvyat, Sainz, Bottas, Perez and Raikkonen.
Russell was last and 6 seconds off the pace. He had recounted his Friday this way: “I was going down the straight and I felt a big bang through the chassis and everything turned off; it's just unfortunate. Overall, today has been a bit of a frustration, but we must make the most of the situation and I will remain positive for the weekend ahead."
But so far no one had gone out on a proper qualifying simulation on new soft Pirelli tires.
Ten minutes later Bottas became the first of the front runners to go out for a fast lap. Hamilton followed him out.
Bottas jumped up to third, but was 0.595 of a second slower than Leclerc. Hamilton replaced his teammate in third, but was 0.538 of a second off Leclerc.
A number of other drivers were also out doing qualifying sims. And so the order behind the top four changed around and changed again. Perez grabbed fifth place.
Then Verstappen shot up to second, just two tenths behind Leclerc.
With eight minutes remaining Leclerc slammed in a 1:41.604. That was 1.5 seconds faster than Hamilton! Vettel’s fast lap attempt ended with a trip down the escape road. Hamilton also paid a visit.
On his next attempt Vettel used a tow off another car and closed in to 0.198 of a second of his Ferrari teammate.
So Leclerc stayed ahead followed by Vettel, Verstappen, Bottas, Hamilton, Kvyat, Magnussen, Albon, Perez and Raikkonen.