Verstappen beats Leclerc to top spot in final practice

After FP2 had been largely dedicated to Pirelli’s 2023 tyre testing, the final one-hour session of practice meant the teams have more race-data-gathering work than usual to crack through beyond the final set-up tweaks and qualifying simulation efforts.

Here Ferrari faced another problem, as an issue aboard Leclerc’s car meant only Carlos Sainz completed high-fuel running for the Scuderia – although Verstappen was the only Red Bull runner to do likewise as Sergio Perez concentrated on flying efforts throughout FP3.

Just over half the field headed out in the opening minutes – led by Alfa Romeo pair Zhou Guanyu and Valtteri Bottas.

Zhou duly set the first-place benchmark at 1m39.735s, which Bottas immediately beat with a 1m39.042s, the pair running the soft tyres from the off.

They were quickly usurped by the first fliers from the frontrunners – Sainz coming in next on the mediums and going quickest with a 1m38.591s.

Then came Perez, who jumped ahead with a big gain of 0.978s on the red-walled rubber, before Leclerc seized first place with his opening effort of 1m37.471s using the softs.

Verstappen was on that rubber too, as was Perez, with the world champion slotting in just behind Leclerc 0.065s adrift.

After a trip to the pits, the four Ferrari and Red Bull drivers went for a second qualifying simulation effort – with Sainz still alone in running the mediums.

Leclerc improved the first place benchmark to 1m37.083s before Verstappen, following closely behind, forged ahead on a 1m36.706s, with Perez staying third despite setting a personal best with his second flying lap attempt.

Now running slightly off to his team-mate and Red Bull rivals, Sainz ended the opening 15-minutes by slotting into second behind Verstappen 0.188s slower with second go on the slower medium tyres.

At this stage the top four were followed by Alpine pair Fernando Alonso and Esteban Ocon, with Lewis Hamilton leading George Russell next up for Mercedes.

While the Red Bull drivers stayed in the pits after two initial runs on the softs, Leclerc went again and jumped up to second just before the 20-minute mark had been reached – closing to 0.059s behind Verstappen with a purple final sector.

After he had returned to the pits, the two Red Bulls headed back out on different programmes – Verstappen completing a high-fuel, race-data-gathering run, with Perez getting a third qualifying…