Verstappen tops time sheet at third practice in Zandvoort

Published on 04 September 2021 by Mike Motilall

Max Verstappen finished at the top of the leaderboard at the third free practice for the Dutch Grand Prix. The Dutchman lapped the 4,259 kilometer long Circuit Zandvoort thirteen times with a 1:09.623 as his fastest lap time. He was the only one to get under the 1:10 mark. Valtteri Bottas (P2) and Lewis Hamilton (P3) completed the top three by a great margin.

The temperature is about sixteen degrees when the lights turn green for the final free practice. Robert Kubica – who replaces, for the remainder of the weekend, Kimi Raikkonen who has been tested positive for Covid-19 – is het first to head out on track on behalf of Alfa Romeo. He is followed by both Haas-drivers. Max Verstappen is the only driver who hasn’t gone out on track even after about twenty minutes. When the Red Bull Racing-driver does decide to head out on track, Carlos Sainz spins at the Hugenholtz corner, sending him straight into the tyre walls. The session is temporarily halted, which means that the fans need to wait a bit longer before they see the RB16B with number 33. The quickest on track till then has been Fernando Alonso with a 1:11.705.

With half an hour remaining on the clock, the track is cleared again. Verstappen immediately heads out on track as he gets a roaring cheer from the crowd. On his first timed lap, on the mediums, the Dutchman clocks a 1:11.225, earning him briefly the top spot. Valtteri Bottas betters Max’ time by eight thousandths of a second on the soft compound tyre. Behind him Pierre Gasly (+0.419), Fernando Alonso (+0.488), Charles Leclerc (+0.551) and Sergio Pérez (+0.649) are the provisional top six.

Verstappen has another go at it and manages to scrape off well over half a second of his time and takes over the top spot. Lando Norris slots in in P2 with a 1:11.119 driven on the softs. The duo is pushed back not much later by Fernando Alonso who does a 1:10.670 on the red walled rubbers.

After a short stop in the pits, Max heads back out on the Dutch asphalt but this time on the softs. During his out-lap, Valtteri Bottas and Lewis Hamilton, take P1 and P2 respectively with a 1:10.179 and 1:10.417. However, this doesn’t last long as Verstappen quickly gets a 1:09.623 on the clock and is then the only driver to get under the 1:10 mark. He has to thank his team mate Sergio Pérez for the fast third sector as he gave the Dutchman a slipstream towards the finish line.

Max’ fastest time is not bettered in the closing stages of the session which eventually earns him the top spot in the final free practice. Valtteri Bottas, Lewis Hamilton, Sergio Pérez, Fernando Alonso and Lando Norris round out the top six.

Contest Dutch GP: win a 1:2 scale model Max Verstappen 2021 helmet!

Results third free practice Netherlands: