During the third and final practice session for the Spanish Grand Prix on Saturday, Carlos Sainz of Ferrari set the fastest, followed by McLaren opponent Lando Norris and teammate Charles Leclerc.
The excitement was palpable at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on Saturday as drivers hit the track at 12:30 local time for their final practice session ahead of the crucial qualifying. This session is especially significant, considering the circuit’s history: 30 of the 33 Grands Prix held here since 1991 have been won from the front row.
Pirelli’s three tyre compounds – the soft C3, medium C2, and hard C1 – were all in use during the first half of the session. Mercedes’ George Russell initially set the pace with a 1m 13.431s lap on the soft tyres.
As the session progressed, the competition heated up. Carlos Sainz emerged on top with a stellar 1m 13.013s, narrowly edging out Lando Norris, who posted a 1m 13.043s, and Charles Leclerc, who clocked in at 1m 13.050s. Reigning world champion Max Verstappen was close behind with a 1m 13.087s, while Russell, despite dropping a few spots, ensured the top five were separated by just one-tenth of a second.
Lewis Hamilton, Russell’s teammate, experienced a peculiar incident with Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll at Turn 5, resulting in minor contact. Hamilton later admitted, “I didn’t see him, my bad.” More drama unfolded post-session as Leclerc and Norris made contact on their way back to the pits, leading Norris to suspect car damage.
Sergio Perez, carrying a three-place grid penalty, finished seventh in the second Red Bull. Alex Albon and Fernando Alonso had strong showings, placing Williams and Aston Martin in the top ten. Oscar Piastri, Norris’ teammate, secured the tenth spot, while the Alpines of Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly landed in 11th and 12th.
Nico Hulkenberg (Haas), Valtteri Bottas (Kick Sauber), and Kevin Magnussen (Haas) followed. Red Bull’s efforts to manage a major update package resulted in Daniel Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda placing 16th and 18th, separated by Stroll. The other Kick Sauber and Williams drivers, Zhou Guanyu and Logan Sargeant, rounded out the timesheets.
As the session concluded, teams and drivers delved into their data, preparing for the all-important qualifying at 16:00 local time. With such a tight field, today’s qualifying promises to be a thrilling showdown.
