Max Verstappen completed a hat-trick of fastest practice times by setting the best lap in the final practice session for the Japanese Grand Prix.
The championship leader’s best time of a 1’30.267 was two tenths quicker than the two McLarens of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. Sergio Perez was fourth-fastest in the second Red Bull, but seven tenths of a second behind his team mate.After overcast skies during for both of Friday’s sessions, the sun was out for the third and final hour of practice on Saturday morning. Although the ambient temperature was identical to the opening two sessions, the track was notably warmer as a result of the additional solar energy.
When the pit lane opened, teams were in no rush to take to the track. It took over five minutes for the first cars to take to the track, the two Ferraris of Carlos Sainz Jnr and Charles Leclerc heading out one after the other. Both on the soft tyres, Sainz set the opening time of the day with a 1’32.001, but Leclerc beat his team mate’s first effort by 0.038s.
More cars began to venturing out, including McLaren drivers Norris and Piastri. Norris went comfortably quicker than the Ferraris to move into first place by over seven tenths with a 1’31.174, with Piastri just ahead of the Ferraris in second, both on the soft tyres.
The Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton and George Russell were next on the track with the pair of them splitting the two McLaren drivers near the top of the times. But then Friday pace-setter Verstappen emerged from the garage and immediately pumped in a 1’30.960 to jump to the very top of the field with a lap three tenths slower than his best from Friday.
Rather than push on to gather more data over multiple laps, most of those near the top of the order opted to carry out a second qualifying simulation run on the same set of soft tyres, including Verstappen. However, none could find time on their second timed laps.
Eventually the McLaren pair returned to the circuit on a fresh set of soft tyres. With new rubber, both beat Verstappen’s best time as Norris set a new quickest time of the weekend with a 1’30.507, Piastri almost matching his team mate to go second. Almost as if to respond, Verstappen fitted fresh softs and headed out on track. His next push lap saw Verstappen retake the top spot from the McLaren pair, lowering the best time to a 1’30.267.
That would ultimately prove the best time of the session as there were no further improvements in the final ten minutes, bar Perez who moved up to fourth place in the second Red Bull. At the chequered flag, Verstappen completed his run of setting the fastest time in all three practice sessions, with his best time two tenths quicker than the two McLarens of Norris and Piastri.
Perez was fourth-fastest ahead of the two Ferraris of Leclerc and Sainz, with the Mercedes of Hamilton and Russell behind in seventh and eighth. Fernando Alonso was ninth for Aston Martin, with the two Alfa Romeo drivers Zhou Guanyu and Valtteri Bottas in tenth and 11th.
Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and
2023 Japanese Grand Prix third practice result
| Position | Number | Driver | Team | Model | Time | Gap | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull-Honda RBPT | RB19 | 1’30.267 | 12 | |
| 2 | 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren-Mercedes | MCL60 | 1’30.507 | 0.240 | 15 |
| 3 | 81 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren-Mercedes | MCL60 | 1’30.555 | 0.288 | 14 |
| 4 | 11 | Sergio Perez | Red Bull-Honda RBPT | RB19 | 1’31.004 | 0.737 | 12 |
| 5 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | SF-23 | 1’31.022 | 0.755 | 19 |
| 6 | 55 | Carlos Sainz Jnr | Ferrari | SF-23 | 1’31.137 | 0.870 | 19 |
| 7 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | W14 | 1’31.159 | 0.892 | 12 |
| 8 | 63 | George Russell | Mercedes | W14 | 1’31.505 | 1.238 | 9 |
| 9 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin-Mercedes | AMR23 | 1’31.549 | 1.282 | 15 |
| 10 | 24 | Zhou Guanyu | Alfa Romeo-Ferrari | C43 | 1’31.668 | 1.401 | 14 |
| 11 | 77 | Valtteri Bottas | Alfa Romeo-Ferrari | C43 | 1’31.699 | 1.432 | 15 |
| 12 | 20 | Kevin Magnussen | Haas-Ferrari | VF-23 | 1’31.880 | 1.613 | 15 |
| 13 | 31 | Esteban Ocon | Alpine-Renault | A523 | 1’31.924 | 1.657 | 13 |
| 14 | 22 | Yuki Tsunoda | AlphaTauri-Honda RBPT | AT04 | 1’31.951 | 1.684 | 17 |
| 15 | 27 | Nico Hulkenberg | Haas-Ferrari | VF-23 | 1’31.979 | 1.712 | 12 |
| 16 | 2 | Logan Sargeant | Williams-Mercedes | FW45 | 1’32.002 | 1.735 | 12 |
| 17 | 40 | Liam Lawson | AlphaTauri-Honda RBPT | AT04 | 1’32.048 | 1.781 | 18 |
| 18 | 23 | Alexander Albon | Williams-Mercedes | FW45 | 1’32.113 | 1.846 | 12 |
| 19 | 18 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin-Mercedes | AMR23 | 1’32.154 | 1.887 | 19 |
| 20 | 10 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine-Renault | A523 | 1’32.199 | 1.932 | 14 |
Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and
2023 Japanese Grand Prix combined practice times
| Position | Number | Driver | Team | FP1 time | FP2 time | FP3 time | Gap | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull-Honda RBPT | 1’31.647 | 1’30.688 | 1’30.267 | 1 | |
| 2 | 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren-Mercedes | 1’32.392 | 1’31.152 | 1’30.507 | 0.240 | 3 |
| 3 | 81 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren-Mercedes | 1’32.713 | 1’31.662 | 1’30.555 | 0.288 | 8 |
| 4 | 11 | Sergio Perez | Red Bull-Honda RBPT | 1’33.043 | 1’31.710 | 1’31.004 | 0.737 | 9 |
| 5 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1’32.574 | 1’31.008 | 1’31.022 | 0.741 | 2 |
| 6 | 55 | Carlos Sainz Jnr | Ferrari | 1’32.273 | 1’31.237 | 1’31.137 | 0.870 | 4 |
| 7 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 1’33.699 | 1’31.829 | 1’31.159 | 0.892 | 14 |
| 8 | 63 | George Russell | Mercedes | 1’33.310 | 1’31.328 | 1’31.505 | 1.061 | 5 |
| 9 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin-Mercedes | 1’32.650 | 1’31.492 | 1’31.549 | 1.225 | 6 |
| 10 | 23 | Alexander Albon | Williams-Mercedes | 1’32.991 | 1’31.555 | 1’32.113 | 1.288 | 7 |
| 11 | 24 | Zhou Guanyu | Alfa Romeo-Ferrari | 1’34.831 | 1’32.165 | 1’31.668 | 1.401 | 16 |
| 12 | 77 | Valtteri Bottas | Alfa Romeo-Ferrari | 1’33.860 | 1’31.739 | 1’31.699 | 1.432 | 10 |
| 13 | 18 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin-Mercedes | 1’33.040 | 1’31.771 | 1’32.154 | 1.504 | 11 |
| 14 | 31 | Esteban Ocon | Alpine-Renault | 1’33.516 | 1’31.794 | 1’31.924 | 1.527 | 12 |
| 15 | 27 | Nico Hulkenberg | Haas-Ferrari | 1’33.448 | 1’31.797 | 1’31.979 | 1.530 | 13 |
| 16 | 20 | Kevin Magnussen | Haas-Ferrari | 1’33.975 | 1’32.169 | 1’31.880 | 1.613 | 17 |
| 17 | 22 | Yuki Tsunoda | AlphaTauri-Honda RBPT | 1’32.597 | 1’32.178 | 1’31.951 | 1.684 | 18 |
| 18 | 2 | Logan Sargeant | Williams-Mercedes | 1’34.212 | 1’32.320 | 1’32.002 | 1.735 | 20 |
| 19 | 40 | Liam Lawson | AlphaTauri-Honda RBPT | 1’33.005 | 1’32.141 | 1’32.048 | 1.781 | 15 |
| 20 | 10 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine-Renault | 1’33.129 | 1’32.179 | 1’32.199 | 1.912 | 19 |
Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and
2023 Japanese Grand Prix
- Norris: Red Bull’s dominance down to ‘small things which make a big difference’
- Mercedes must halve deficit to Red Bull before 2024 season starts – Hamilton
- Mercedes expect “tight” fight for second in championship after Ferrari gains
- Norris breaks Hulkenberg’s record for most points without a win in F1
- Transcript: What Alonso really meant by being “thrown to the lions” at Suzuka
