Max in P2 during final free practice in Hockenheim

Published on 27 July 2019 by Kees-Jan Koster

Max Verstappen finished second during the third and final free practice in Germany. At the 4.574-meter-long circuit of Hockenheim it was Charles Leclerc in his Ferrari who was fastest. Sebastian Vettel drove the second Ferrari to P3. Pierre Gasly finished in the second Red Bull in P8.

It is cloudy and dry when the third free practice in the run-up to the German Grand Prix gets underway. At a temperature of 24 degrees it is Kevin Magnussen and Alexander Albon who come out on track first. Gasly will drive with a new chassis after the crash the Frenchman experienced yesterday during the second free practice. After a few of installation laps of a few drivers it gets quiet again on track. After ten minutes it is Daniel Ricciardo who sets the first time.

After a little over twenty minutes Max also appears on track for his first run. On a new set of medium tyres the Dutchman sets the fifth time after his first run. In front of him are all drivers who set their times on the soft tyres. In his second attempt Max improves, with a purple first sector, to P3 behind both Ferraris. Teammate Gasly is found in P13.

With a little over fifteen minutes to go Max comes out on soft tyres for a qualifying simulation. The driver of Aston Martin Red Bull Racing, now moved down to P5, climbs in his first attempt to P2 behind the Ferrari of Leclerc. We see many times that times are taken away when drivers exceed track limits. Especially turn 17, the last corner before start-finish, is in this respect difficult.

In the final phase we see reigning world champion Lewis Hamilton frantically trying to move up. But more than a sixth time, surprisingly behind Magnussen, is all the Brit can get.

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Results third free practice Germany: