Max quickest in final practice: "Happy with progress"
Published on 29 October 2016 by Stefan Meens
With a fastest lap of 1:19.137, Max Verstappen was quickest in the final free practice session of the Mexican Grand Prix. Lewis Hamilton occupied second place, two tenths adrift the Red Bull Racing driver. The Dutchman’s team mate, Daniel Ricciardo, completed the top three
“This session went well. I’m happy with the progress we’ve made on the super-softs. I’m looking forward to qualifying!”
Apart from a few installation laps, proper on track action does not happen until fifteen minutes into FP3, when the Mercedes set their first lap times. The Red Bulls hit the track almost half an hour into the session.
Max heads on the soft Pirellis and shows promising pace, vastly quicker than team mate Ricciardo. The team responds by telling the Australian: “The biggest difference with Verstappen is the apex speed in the first corner, the entry speed into turn two without loosing exit speed and the exit out of turn four. He basically brakes later.” Ricciardo listens to the team and posts a near identical time to his younger colleague.
The final fifteen minutes are all about qualifying simulations. Max’ quickest effort is unmatched – not even by Ricciardo, who is troubled by traffic. Only Lewis Hamilton is able to match the Red Bulls for pace as he splits the two RBR divers. Max therefore finishes on top, followed by the world champion and Ricciardo.
Mexican Grand Prix - Autodromo Hermanos Rodríguez - Saturday 29 October
FREE PRACTICE 3 RESULTS 01 33 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing TAG Heuer 1:19.137 16 02 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1:19.231 +0.094s 23 03 3 Daniel Ricciardo Red Bull Racing TAG Heuer 1:19.370 +0.233s 17 04 6 Nico Rosberg Mercedes 1:19.618 +0.481s 27 05 77 Valtteri Bottas Williams Mercedes 1:19.811 +0.674s 19 06 5 Sebastian Vettel Ferrari 1:19.937 +0.800s 16 07 7 Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari 1:19.994 +0.857s 16 08 19 Felipe Massa Williams Mercedes 1:19.997 +0.860s 22 09 27 Nico Hulkenberg Force India Mercedes 1:20.255 +1.118s 21 10 55 Carlos Sainz Toro Rosso Ferrari 1:20.325 +1.188s 22 11 11 Sergio Perez Force India Mercedes 1:20.472 +1.335s 20 12 26 Daniil Kvyat Toro Rosso Ferrari 1:20.586 +1.449s 20 13 14 Fernando Alonso McLaren Honda 1:20.600 +1.463s 18 14 30 Jolyon Palmer Renault 1:20.959 +1.822s 18 15 22 Jenson Button McLaren Honda 1:21.152 +2.015s 19 16 9 Marcus Ericsson Sauber Ferrari 1:21.245 +2.108s 21 17 21 Esteban Gutierrez Haas Ferrari 1:21.338 +2.201s 16 18 20 Kevin Magnussen Renault 1:21.345 +2.208s 17 19 8 Romain Grosjean Haas Ferrari 1:21.601 +2.464s 15 20 94 Pascal Wehrlein MRT Mercedes 1:21.758 +2.621s 23 21 31 Esteban Ocon MRT Mercedes 1:21.921 +2.784s 22 22 12 Felipe Nasr Sauber Ferrari 1:22.354 +3.217s 18
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