In the final 10 minutes of practice leading up to qualifying on Friday, Max Verstappen delivered an outstanding performance. He managed to set a blistering time of 1m35.912s, which surpassed Alex Albon’s previous fastest lap. Verstappen’s time remained unbeaten, with his teammate Sergio Perez coming closest but falling 0.3s short. Charles Leclerc also put in a commendable effort but came up half a tenth short in each sector. Despite Lewis Hamilton posting the best splits in the opening sectors, he couldn’t match Verstappen’s pace and finished a tenth behind.
Kevin Magnussen showcased the potential of the upgraded Haas, securing the fifth spot on the timing boards. The team’s new downwashing sidepods, matching those of other teams, seemed to have a positive impact on performance. Magnussen’s lap was a mere 0.002s ahead of George Russell’s Mercedes, highlighting the competitiveness in the midfield.
Alex Albon managed a respectable seventh-place finish, demonstrating his skill on the track. However, Carlos Sainz faced challenges with the bumpy circuit. Despite the difficulties, Sainz showed improvement throughout the session, making incremental gains.
Lewis Hamilton used the practice session to test out Mercedes’ new floor, aiming to gather valuable insights for future developments. Although Hamilton set the best second sector time, he lost ground in the final part of the lap, finishing a tenth behind Leclerc. The team will undoubtedly analyze the data collected to enhance their performance in the upcoming races.
After a five-race absence due to a broken hand sustained in a previous crash, Daniel Ricciardo made his comeback in the AlphaTauri F1 seat. He performed well, slotting in behind Lando Norris in 15th place. This return marks a significant milestone for Ricciardo, and he will be eager to make up for lost time.
The Alfa Romeo pair of Zhou Guanyu and Valtteri Bottas finished 16th and 17th, respectively, struggling to showcase their true potential. Fernando Alonso, on the other hand, faced challenges and finished in 18th place. However, it’s important to note that Alonso solely used the hard compound tire throughout the session, limiting his ability to achieve a faster lap time.
Despite a momentary scare on the exit of Turn 8, Oscar Piastri displayed exceptional control and skill to avoid disaster. After clipping the curb and briefly running wide, Piastri managed to regain control and keep his McLaren out of the gravel. His determination and quick thinking allowed him to salvage his session and finish 19th.
Lance Stroll’s practice session was severely compromised due to braking issues on his Aston Martin AMR23. With problems arising on the left front wheel, Stroll was only able to complete two laps. This setback will undoubtedly impact his weekend and necessitate careful analysis by the team to rectify the problem.
Max Verstappen emerged as the standout driver in the final practice session, setting an impressive lap time that remained unbeaten. However, the midfield battle was fierce, with notable performances from Kevin Magnussen, Alex Albon, and Daniel Ricciardo. As the teams gather data from the practice session, they will work tirelessly to optimize their performance for qualifying and the upcoming race.
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