Max fourth in final Suzuka practice session

Published on 08 October 2016 by Stefan Meens

After a sixth and fourth place in the Friday free practice sessions, Max Verstappen finished fourth in FP3 of the Japanese Grand Prix. Mercedes’ Nico Rosberg lapped the iconic Suzuka track fastest, followed by Red Bull Racing’s Daniel Ricciardo and Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel.

At the start of the session, the track is still damp after overnight rain, prompting the drivers to run intermediate and full wet tyres. Jenson Button is the first driver to head out on slicks. His McLaren team mate Fernando Alonso is the first to set a time on a dry weather tyre. Soon after, all drivers follow the McLaren drivers’ lead.

At the halfway point of the session, both Mercedes top the leader boards with the Red Bulls still to be seen on track. When Max finally leaves the pits, he starts a run on the medium Pirelli compound. However, after setting the fifth fastest time on the mediums, the Dutchman returns to the team after flat-spotting his front tyres.

With fifteen minutes to go, the teams’ focus switches to qualifying simulations. Rosberg is once again the quickest. Max is fastest of all in the first sector but eventually has to settle for fourth. Daniel Ricciardo and Sebastian Vettel split Max and Rosberg. World champion Lewis Hamilton finished the final practice session in P7.

Japanese Grand Prix - Suzuka - Saturday 8 October

FREE PRACTICE 3

01  6 Nico Rosberg        Mercedes                    1:32.092           14
02  3 Daniel Ricciardo    Red Bull Racing TAG Heuer   1:32.394  +0.302s  10
03  5 Sebastian Vettel    Ferrari                     1:32.731  +0.639s  13
04 33 Max Verstappen      Red Bull Racing TAG Heuer   1:32.784  +0.692s  9
05  7 Kimi Räikkönen      Ferrari                     1:33.011  +0.919s  12
06 19 Felipe Massa        Williams Mercedes           1:33.271  +1.179s  13
07 44 Lewis Hamilton      Mercedes                    1:33.284  +1.192s  12
08 30 Jolyon Palmer       Renault                     1:33.639  +1.547s  13
09 20 Kevin Magnussen     Renault                     1:33.639  +1.547s  10
10 27 Nico Hulkenberg     Force India Mercedes        1:33.646  +1.554s  11
11 14 Fernando Alonso     McLaren Honda               1:33.714  +1.622s  12
12 21 Esteban Gutierrez   Haas Ferrari                1:33.787  +1.695s  16
13 77 Valtteri Bottas     Williams Mercedes           1:33.865  +1.773s  9
14 11 Sergio Perez        Force India Mercedes        1:33.921  +1.829s  11
15 26 Daniil Kvyat        Toro Rosso Ferrari          1:34.037  +1.945s  12
16  8 Romain Grosjean     Haas Ferrari                1:34.272  +2.180s  13
17 12 Felipe Nasr         Sauber Ferrari              1:34.388  +2.296s  12
18  9 Marcus Ericsson     Sauber Ferrari              1:34.544  +2.452s  13
19 22 Jenson Button       McLaren Honda               1:34.548  +2.456s  11
20 31 Esteban Ocon        MRT Mercedes                1:35.230  +3.138s  13
21 94 Pascal Wehrlein     MRT Mercedes                1:37.256  +5.164s  10
22 55 Carlos Sainz        Toro Rosso Ferrari          1:56.323  +24.231s  3  

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