In a session marred by wet conditions and multiple red flags, Max Verstappen was once again the fastest driver on track for Red Bull in the third practice session for the 2023 Dutch GP at Zandvoort.
The Dutchman clocked a time that was over four-tenths faster than George Russell of Mercedes, with Sergio Perez, Verstappen’s teammate, finishing third.
The session was conducted under wet conditions, making it a challenging affair for all the drivers.
The slippery surface at Zandvoort was unforgiving, causing several drivers to struggle for grip. The session was red-flagged just 10 minutes in after a spin from Haas driver Kevin Magnussen at Turn 3, and then again at the 30-minute mark when Zhou Guanyu found himself in the gravel.
Fernando Alonso improved significantly from the recent performances of his Aston Martin to finish fourth, ahead of Lewis Hamilton in the other Mercedes.
Underdogs Shine
Alex Albon put in an impressive performance once again for Williams, finishing sixth, and highlighting the potential of the team’s car, which has been showing signs of improvement this season.
Meanwhile, Liam Lawson became the 10th New Zealander to race in Formula 1, replacing the injured Daniel Ricciardo for AlphaTauri. Despite a late spin that brought out the third red flag of the session, Lawson managed to get back on track, and was 18th fastest overall.
Lando Norris and McLaren continued to show competitive pace, despite slipping back to 10th at the end of the session, while Oscar Piastri was up in
Ferraris Struggle
Both Ferraris had a session to forget, struggling for grip and tire temperature. Charles Leclerc had a particularly dicey moment, nearly going into the barriers at Turn 1.
The team will have to regroup quickly if they are to make an impact in the upcoming qualifying session and the race.
While dry conditions are expected for the qualifying session, there could be more rain for the race on Sunday.
