Max fifth fastest final free practice Silverstone

Published on 07 July 2018 by Mike Motilall

Max Verstappen came in fifth fastest at the third and final free practice in the run up to the British Grand Prix. On the 5,890 meter long track of Silverstone, Lewis Hamilton was the quickest in his Mercedes, followed by Ferrari running Kimi Raikkonen in second. Valtteri Bottas drove his Mercedes to P3.  

The weather is shiny when the third free practice for the British Grand Prix gets underway. With a temperature of 22 degrees, Stoffel Vandoorne and Charles Leclerc are the first ones to get out on track. After five minutes, we see Max also out on track on a set of the soft compound on his RB14. The young Dutchman is the first to get a timed lap and reports on the radio that he is not quite happy with his gearbox.

After fifteen minutes, there is suddenly a code red. Brendon Hartley flies off track after the left front suspension of his STR13 breaks off during braking. The impact is enormous, but the Toro Rosso-driver is able to walk away unscathed. As a result, the Scuderia Toro Rosso-team also inspects team mate Pierre Gasly’s car. In the meantime the clock is ticking away and with a little over half an hour left, the session is resumed.

Most of the drivers, get back out on track. Max is also out but is busy collecting valuable data. By then, Gasly gets out of his Toro Rosso and will probably not head back out again during this session. The Faenza based team will need to track down the cause of Hartley’s crash before sending out another car on track.

At the front, Mercedes and Ferrari are the ones calling the shots followed by Sauber's Leclerc and Max in sixth. The youngster is busy with a long run on the soft compound and has, so far, the most laps to his name.

In the closing stages Raikkonen and Hamilton flex their muscles and take turns for the lead. Both drivers drive a time under the 1:27. Max gives it a go as well on a new set of softs on his RB14. With the DRS wide open in the first two corners the fast Dutchman tries to shave off a little bit of his time. He gets it done and with a 1:28.012 moves up to fifth, ahead of his team mate Daniel Ricciardo.

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