Max Verstappen fifth in final free practice Spa-Francorchamps

Published on 31 August 2019 by Mike Motilall

Max Verstappen finished fifth at the third and final free practice for the Belgian Grand Prix. The Dutchman clocked a 1:45.312, his fastest time in a session that was troubled by a crash from championship leader Lewis Hamilton. The Briton lost control of his Mercedes turning in for Turn 12 and went straight into the tyre wall. The Ferraris of Charles Leclerc and Sebastian Vettel dominated once again the practice.

The drivers cautiously take to the track with warm conditions on Spa-Francorchamps. In the first fifteen minutes of the session, Robert Kubica is the only driver that sets a timed lap. Charles Leclerc is the first one from the top teams that really gets a serious time on the clock, a 1:44.789.

Twenty-five minutes into the session, Max starts his first flying lap of the session. With a 1:46.441 on the softs, Max is eight fastest at that moment.

Halfway the practice, Max betters his time to a 1:46.300. At the same moment, Lewis Hamilton crashes into the tyre wall at Turn 12. The Briton loses control of the rear of his Mercedes and slides into the barriers. Hamilton walks away unscathed, but his Mercedes is severely damaged. The Mercedes mechanics are forced to get their heads down to get the car ready for qualifying.

After a red-flag period of well over fifteen minutes, the track is cleared with still thirteen minutes on the clock. Max immediately heads out with the softs strapped on to the RB15. With a 1:45.312, Verstappen moves up to a fifth fastest time. In his next flying lap, Max is held up and is unable to better his time.

Leclerc finishes the third free practice as the fastest with a 1:44.206. Ferrari team mate Vettel, trails with well over four tenths in second. Valtteri Bottas and Daniel Ricciardo finish the session in third and fourth, with Max in fifth.

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Results third free practice Belgium: