Verstappen on P3 in third free practice at Albert Park

Published on 15 March 2025 by Florence Cobben

Max Verstappen has ended the third free practice for the Australian Grand Prix in P3. During the last free practice training for the season opener in Melbourne, the Oracle Red Bull Racing-driver was comfortably occupying first place for a good stretch of time, but in the last minutes hometown hero Oscar Piastri, driving for McLaren, ducked under the Dutchman’s time. Following Piastri, George Russell in his Mercedes managed to squeeze his car between the two drivers. Max’s 1:16.002 time was ultimately just 81-thousandths of a second off Piastri’s time.

With a temperature of 31 degrees, under the shining Melbourne sun, the third and final free practice gets underway on the 5.278 meter long Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit. Just as the first drivers are starting to get find their bearings, the session is interrupted by a red flag. Oliver Bearman spun at turn eleven and the Haas is stuck in the gravel. It’s another disappointment for the British driver, who yesterday already saw little track time after a hefty crash during the first free practice.

After a short pause the session resumes. With just three quarters of an hour on the clock, Max and teammate Liam Lawson’s Red Bulls head out on soft tyres. Max sets a 1:17.632 time in his first flying lap, landing him comfortably in first place. Sometime later Piastri improves on Max’s time, but Max counters by setting a 1:16.646 time on a set of new tyres, putting him well ahead of yesterday’s fastest time.

After a couple of laps Max returns to the pits, and Russell takes advantage by setting a time good for first place. Norris further demotes Max by setting a time good for second. The Williams drivers also have promising pace, and nestle between Russell and Norris on the timesheets. Max heads out again for another flying lap. Again on soft tyres, Max flies to first place with a 1:16.002 time. Piastri later becomes the first driver to duck under 1 minute 16 seconds. Max again has a go at first place, but has to abort his lap after an incident in turn eleven and twelve.

Max closes the session in P3, while hometown hero Piastri can be satisfied with having secured the fastest time, followed by Russell. Behind the top three follow Charles Leclerc In P4 and Andrea Kimi Antonelli for Mercedes in P5, while the Williams’ of Sainz and Albon show strong performances with sixth and seventh places. In addition to Bearman, Lawson was also unable to set a time. The New Zealander complained of a lack of power on his first flying lap and returned to the pits, from which he did not emerge for the remainder of the session.

Qualifying for the Australian Grand Prix will start at 6:00 a.m. Dutch time.

Contest GP Australia: win a by Max Verstappen signed Red Bull Racing 2025 cap!

Results third free practice Australia: