Max fastest in third free practice at Suzuka

Published on 06 April 2024 by Kees-Jan Koster

Max Verstappen set the fastest time in the third free practice session for the Japanese Grand Prix. On the Suzuka circuit the three-time world champion set a time of 1:29.563, more than a quarter of a second faster than his Oracle Red Bull Racing teammate Sergio Perez. The Mercedes of George Russell and Lewis Hamilton followed in third and fourth.

Despite some light rain around the Suzuka circuit most of the night, the track is dry at the start of the third and final free practice session. It is busy at the start of the session, because of the rained out FP2 session on Friday. Max Verstappen is in his RB20 the first to come out on track. In his first timed lap on medium compound tyres, he sets a 1:30.265. At that time, Kevin Magnussen goes backwards into the gravel at the hairpin, but the Danish driver can get out and continue his session.

Not much later Lewis Hamilton goes two tenths of a second faster than Max, on soft tyres. Verstappen improves his time to a 1:30.193 but stays in P2. After a stint of six laps, Max comes into the pits for a new set of medium tyres. Then after three laps he returns to the Red Bull garage. Daniel Ricciardo spins into the grass when exiting turn two. The RB driver can slowly get back from the slippery grass onto the track.

With 35 minutes to go Verstappen comes back out on track, again on medium compound tyres. This time Verstappen drives a couple of laps at race pace, with lap times around the 1:36. After a stint of nine laps Max returns to the pits.

With twelve minutes to go Verstappen leaves the pits again. This time on a set of soft tyres, Max sets a time of 1:29.563 for his qualifying simulation, putting him in P1. In the remainder of the session, none of the other drivers can go faster than Max, so that the Dutchman finishes the session as fastest, followed by Perez who was more than two tenths slower. Russell and Hamilton finish in P3 and P4, while Fernando Alonso finishes fifth in his Aston Martin. The Ferrari’s seem slow and finish in P7 (Corlos Sainz) and P10 (Charles Leclerc).

At 08:00 Dutch time qualifying for the Japanese Grand Prix will start.

Contest GP Japan: win a by Max signed Verstappen.com Racing cap!

Results third free practice Japan: