Max Verstappen led the final practice session for the Portuguese Grand Prix, lapping two-tenths of a second faster than Lewis Hamilton.
Verstappen was fastest by two tenths over Hamilton, although both did the same number of laps in the session. Both of them set their fastest times on soft tyres, as did every driver.Behind the session-topping Mercedes and Red Bull duos, Esteban Ocon continued to demonstrate considerably improved pace in his Alpine, lapping just 0.020 seconds behind Perez.
Fernando Alonso in the other Alpine at one point matched Hamilton’s pace. But his best lap time – a 1’18.735 – was deleted for a narrow track limits violation at turn one. It was one of 23 times deleted across the field, mostly for drivers running wide at turn one.
Two drivers spun on track: Lando Norris carried too much speed into turn 13 but was able to continue and set his best lap time immediately after. Nikita Mazepin had a more dramatic spin at the same spot, ruining his tyres and missing the pit entry, having to tour around slowly before he could return to the garage.
After what had seemed a slightly bleak Friday for McLaren, Norris set eighth-fastest time while Ricciardo went 12th-fastest. Both Ferraris were ahead of Norris, despite a slightly strange radio complaint from Leclerc where he alleged that other cars were deliberately getting in their way, knowing how vulnerable their car is to dirty air.
It was a tricky session for Aston Martin, who finished 16th and 18th, behind Mick Schumacher’s Haas. They at least managed considerable running, unlike Williams, whose cars set some of the lowest lap counts. Nicholas Latifi, who finished 19th, used only soft tyres and pitted six times during the hour-long session.
Times were considerably faster in third practice than second, in line which drivers expectations yesterday that the track is quickest when it is a little cooler and the wind drops. Conditions are expected to gets warmer but also breezier as the day goes on, so qualifying could prove trickier for the drivers.
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2021 Portuguese Grand Prix third practice result
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Car | Best lap | Gap | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 33 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull-Honda | 1’18.489 | 21 | |
| 2 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 1’18.725 | 0.236 | 21 |
| 3 | 77 | Valtteri Bottas | Mercedes | 1’18.820 | 0.331 | 18 |
| 4 | 11 | Sergio Perez | Red Bull-Honda | 1’18.840 | 0.351 | 24 |
| 5 | 31 | Esteban Ocon | Alpine-Renault | 1’18.860 | 0.371 | 18 |
| 6 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1’19.001 | 0.512 | 22 |
| 7 | 55 | Carlos Sainz Jnr | Ferrari | 1’19.050 | 0.561 | 24 |
| 8 | 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren-Mercedes | 1’19.272 | 0.783 | 18 |
| 9 | 10 | Pierre Gasly | AlphaTauri-Honda | 1’19.374 | 0.885 | 25 |
| 10 | 7 | Kimi Raikkonen | Alfa Romeo-Ferrari | 1’19.415 | 0.926 | 25 |
| 11 | 22 | Yuki Tsunoda | AlphaTauri-Honda | 1’19.485 | 0.996 | 25 |
| 12 | 3 | Daniel Ricciardo | McLaren-Mercedes | 1’19.582 | 1.093 | 19 |
| 13 | 99 | Antonio Giovinazzi | Alfa Romeo-Ferrari | 1’19.588 | 1.099 | 23 |
| 14 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Alpine-Renault | 1’19.949 | 1.460 | 20 |
| 15 | 47 | Mick Schumacher | Haas-Ferrari | 1’20.033 | 1.544 | 21 |
| 16 | 18 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin-Mercedes | 1’20.090 | 1.601 | 16 |
| 17 | 63 | George Russell | Williams-Mercedes | 1’20.127 | 1.638 | 17 |
| 18 | 5 | Sebastian Vettel | Aston Martin-Mercedes | 1’20.214 | 1.725 | 20 |
| 19 | 6 | Nicholas Latifi | Williams-Mercedes | 1’20.681 | 2.192 | 18 |
| 20 | 9 | Nikita Mazepin | Haas-Ferrari | 1’20.690 | 2.201 | 20 |
Third practice visual gaps
Max Verstappen – 1’18.489
+0.236 Lewis Hamilton – 1’18.725
+0.331 Valtteri Bottas – 1’18.820
+0.351 Sergio Perez – 1’18.840
+0.371 Esteban Ocon – 1’18.860
+0.512 Charles Leclerc – 1’19.001
+0.561 Carlos Sainz Jnr – 1’19.050
+0.783 Lando Norris – 1’19.272
+0.885 Pierre Gasly – 1’19.374
+0.926 Kimi Raikkonen – 1’19.415
+0.996 Yuki Tsunoda – 1’19.485
+1.093 Daniel Ricciardo – 1’19.582
+1.099 Antonio Giovinazzi – 1’19.588
+1.460 Fernando Alonso – 1’19.949
+1.544 Mick Schumacher – 1’20.033
+1.601 Lance Stroll – 1’20.090
+1.638 George Russell – 1’20.127
+1.725 Sebastian Vettel – 1’20.214
+2.192 Nicholas Latifi – 1’20.681
+2.201 Nikita Mazepin – 1’20.690
Drivers more then ten seconds off the pace omitted.
| Pos | Driver | Car | FP1 | FP2 | FP3 | Fri/Sat diff | Total laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull-Honda | 1’19.673 | 1’19.980 | 1’18.489 | -1.184 | 69 |
| 2 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 1’19.967 | 1’19.837 | 1’18.725 | -1.112 | 85 |
| 3 | Valtteri Bottas | Mercedes | 1’19.648 | 1’20.181 | 1’18.820 | -0.828 | 76 |
| 4 | Sergio Perez | Red Bull-Honda | 1’19.846 | 1’20.516 | 1’18.840 | -1.006 | 73 |
| 5 | Esteban Ocon | Alpine-Renault | 1’20.800 | 1’20.235 | 1’18.860 | -1.375 | 75 |
| 6 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1’19.884 | 1’20.360 | 1’19.001 | -0.883 | 81 |
| 7 | Carlos Sainz Jnr | Ferrari | 1’20.680 | 1’20.197 | 1’19.050 | -1.147 | 83 |
| 8 | Lando Norris | McLaren-Mercedes | 1’20.635 | 1’20.757 | 1’19.272 | -1.363 | 71 |
| 9 | Pierre Gasly | AlphaTauri-Honda | 1’20.444 | 1’20.558 | 1’19.374 | -1.07 | 89 |
| 10 | Kimi Raikkonen | Alfa Romeo-Ferrari | 1’21.381 | 1’21.225 | 1’19.415 | -1.81 | 71 |
| 11 | Yuki Tsunoda | AlphaTauri-Honda | 1’21.090 | 1’21.053 | 1’19.485 | -1.568 | 85 |
| 12 | Daniel Ricciardo | McLaren-Mercedes | 1’20.995 | 1’20.418 | 1’19.582 | -0.836 | 79 |
| 13 | Antonio Giovinazzi | Alfa Romeo-Ferrari | 1’21.238 | 1’19.588 | -1.65 | 55 | |
| 14 | Fernando Alonso | Alpine-Renault | 1’21.303 | 1’20.220 | 1’19.949 | -0.271 | 81 |
| 15 | Mick Schumacher | Haas-Ferrari | 1’21.939 | 1’21.537 | 1’20.033 | -1.504 | 78 |
| 16 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin-Mercedes | 1’20.894 | 1’20.427 | 1’20.090 | -0.337 | 75 |
| 17 | George Russell | Williams-Mercedes | 1’20.529 | 1’20.976 | 1’20.127 | -0.402 | 77 |
| 18 | Sebastian Vettel | Aston Martin-Mercedes | 1’21.405 | 1’21.074 | 1’20.214 | -0.86 | 82 |
| 19 | Nicholas Latifi | Williams-Mercedes | 1’22.293 | 1’21.855 | 1’20.681 | -1.174 | 77 |
| 20 | Nikita Mazepin | Haas-Ferrari | 1’24.224 | 1’22.638 | 1’20.690 | -1.948 | 76 |
| 21 | Callum Ilott | Alfa Romeo-Ferrari | 1’21.806 | 21 |
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2021 Portuguese Grand Prix
- Pirelli’s tyre choice for Portuguese GP wasn’t “too hard”, Hamilton concedes
- Who are the top F1 juniors bidding for a grand prix debut in 2022?
- 2021 Portuguese Grand Prix Star Performers
- Race gains encourage Ricciardo after ‘unacceptable’ qualifying performance
- Sainz says top-five finish was possible after first no-score for Ferrari
Srdjan Mandic (@srga91)
1st May 2021, 13:11
Qualifying is going to be complete madness today!
One error from RB or Mercedes could cost them up to three rows on the grid, considering how close Ferrari & Alpine are.
Q2 is impossible to predict and even Mick Schumacher could make it past Q1.
Euro Brun (@eurobrun)
1st May 2021, 13:36
Sounds great doesn’t it!
To think that some people say they don’t like the current qualifying format!
Robbie (@robbie)
1st May 2021, 14:21
@eurobrun I don’t know that many are saying they don’t like the current format, but there seem to be many like me who don’t mind an exploration for an even more exciting way. And the current format will still be used on Friday, so no one is missing out. To me the only thing that has changed with the current format is that we now have a sense that it might not always be a Mercedes on pole. And yeah, that is exciting.
Yaru (@yaru)
1st May 2021, 23:18
Yes, I so not mind trialling a new format for three races.
spoutnik (@spoutnik)
1st May 2021, 13:12
The Alpines are looking a bit stronger than the previous rounds, let’s see how they fare in qualifying. Also, looking at the onboards the Alpine seems quite brutal in gear shifts, the car looks so nervous or is it just an impression?
Srdjan Mandic (@srga91)
1st May 2021, 13:17
Could very well be. Their short runs look very impressive, but their long runs yesterday were slower than McLaren & Alpha Tauri. Let’s see what happens in qualifying.
Rodber
1st May 2021, 13:50
I sincerely hope Seb was doing some late set-up work and not going all out for a fast lap.
Esploratore (@esploratore)
1st May 2021, 13:58
Just a tenth slower than stroll, could be the car isn’t very competitive, ofc it’s just practice but fp3 starts being a bit more representative usually.