After the rain (or threat of water) in the two sessions on Friday barely allowed the teams to do long runs in FP1 and FP2 , this FP3 on Saturday was dry and with numerous laps simulating race pace. And there, both with a lap and with the car loaded and the tires wearing down, Red Bull showed that it better adapts to the track and the conditions.
Max Verstappen recalled that, although he will start at the back of the grid due to an engine change, he cannot be ruled out at all. The Dutchman led much of the session until, in a final session, his teammate Sergio Pérez managed a great lap to take first place and give the energy drinkers a double in the last practice session of the 2022 Belgian GP.
Carlos Sainz, without the two favorites, will aim for pole position, although by not taking advantage of the final stint, he finished third and far behind his rivals. The man from Madrid, like Charles Leclerc, spent the first half hour in the box while the Cavallino ‘s wanted to save mileage on the engines, and despite having more problems than Red Bull to heat the tires, he will fight with Sergio Pérez to be first when they penalize his respective partners.
Among the favourites, and also dragging a penalty, Lando Norris slipped in with the McLaren , fourth, while Fernando Alonso took advantage of the final attack to be fifth and close the practice sessions with a good taste.
At the moment, waiting for them to put all the meat on the grill in classification, the Mercedes do not seem to be a rival for the Ferrari and Red Bull. Russell finished sixth and Hamilton outside the top 10 without that final attempt and never appearing in the top positions. Between the two, seventh, was a Charles Leclerc who will have to come back tomorrow and minimize the loss of positions in classification, and who suffered an exit from the track with less than ten minutes remaining.
The #16 lost the rear of his car at the entrance to turn 12 and ended up, after going through the gravel run-off, touching the protections, although with slight damage to the wing that did not prevent him from returning to the pits under his own power.
Results of Free Practice 3 of the Belgian GP 2022 F1 (FP3)
(Click on ‘see results’ to enjoy the entire table)
| Cla | Pilot | laps | Weather | Difference | Interval | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Sergio Perez |
 |
19 | 1’45.047 | ||
| 2 |  Max Verstappen |
 |
19 | 1’45.184 | 0.137 | 0.137 |
| 3 |  Carlos Sainz Jr. |
 |
13 | 1,45,824 | 0.777 | 0.640 |
| 4 |  Lando Norris |
 |
20 | 1’45.965 | 0.918 | 0.141 |
| 5 | Fernando Alonso |
 |
16 | 1’46.061 | 1.014 | 0.096 |
| 6 | George Russell |
 |
19 | 1’46.071 | 1.024 | 0.010 |
| 7 |  Charles Leclerc |
 |
12 | 1’46.120 | 1.073 | 0.049 |
| 8 |  Sebastian Vettel |
 |
18 | 1’46.166 | 1.119 | 0.046 |
| 9 |  Esteban Ocon |
 |
24 | 1’46.601 | 1.554 | 0.435 |
| 10 | Pierre Gasly |
 |
19 | 1’46,604 | 1,557 | 0.003 |
| see results | ||||||
Photo by: Erik Junius
Photo by: Erik Junius
Photo by: Erik Junius
Photo by: Erik Junius
Photo by: Erik Junius
Foto de: Erik Junius
Foto de: Erik Junius
Photo de: Erik Junius
Photo de: Erik Junius
Photo by: Erik Junius
Photo by: Erik Junius
Photo by: Erik Junius
Photo by: Erik Junius
Photo by: Erik Junius
Photo by: Erik Junius
Photo by: Erik Junius
Photo by: Erik Junius
Photo by: Erik Junius
Photo de: Erik Junius
Photo by: Erik Junius
Photo by: Erik Junius
Photo by: Erik Junius
Photo by: Erik Junius
Photo by: Erik Junius
Photo by: Erik Junius
Photo by: Erik Junius
Photo by: Erik Junius
Photo by: Erik Junius
Photo by: Erik Junius
Photo by: Erik Junius
Photo by: Erik Junius
Foto de: Erik Junius
Foto de: Erik Junius
Foto de: Erik Junius
Foto de: Erik Junius
Foto de: Erik Junius
Foto de: Erik Junius
Photo by: Erik Junius
Photo by: Erik Junius
Photo by: Erik Junius
Photo by: Erik Junius
Photo by: Erik Junius
Photo by: Erik Junius
Photo by: Erik Junius
Photo by: Erik Junius
Photo by: Erik Junius
Photo by: Erik Junius
Photo by: Erik Junius
Photo by: Erik Junius
Photo by: Erik Junius
Photo by: Erik Junius
Photo de: Erik Junius
Foto de: Erik Junius
Foto de: Erik Junius
Photo by: Erik Junius
Photo by: Erik Junius
Photo by: Erik Junius
Foto de: Erik Junius
Photo by: Erik Junius
Photo by: Erik Junius
Photo by: Erik Junius
Summary of Free Practice 3 of the Belgian GP 2022 F1
Many cars took to the track as soon as the green light came on, although the favorites kept their cards to themselves and allowed drivers like Alex Albon with the Williams or Zhou with the Alfa Romeo to lead the table in the first fifteen minutes.
Almost everyone focused early on on long runs after rain on Friday ruined the chance to do many race pace tests, so times remained steady and high. 14 minutes had already passed when Alonso took his first timed lap, while the Ferraris were still in the pits.
No one came close to Zhou’s lead as the runs continued with lots of fuel and worn tires, but the Ferraris, who started just before half an hour had passed, quickly moved into the best times.
In fact, the start of that second round for other teams and the first for the Ferraris left numerous lap improvements, after which Sainz took first place, with Albon second, Leclerc third and Hamilton fourth. However, Pérez would quickly beat the Spaniard with a 1:45.972 in his second game on the softs, and Verstappen’s second fast lap was yet to be done.
Leclerc got a scare but was able to move up to third, before the champion, who was on course for first, aborted after a crash in the last sector at the Turn 18 chicane. On his fifth lap on tyres, Verstappen He achieved the best time of the weekend, a 1:45.480 that reinforced his role as favorite despite the penalty he will have on the grid.
Sainz improved to second, and Norris did the same to take third and drop Perez to fourth. There were less than 15 minutes left and the second long runs continued until, with nine to go, Charles Leclerc suffered a showy off-track when he lost the rear of his Ferrari at turn 12. He went off at high speed through the gravel run-off and finished touching the wall, but without apparent major damage.
In fact, the Monegasque was able to turn back and return to the box, although the stewards rushed in and established a red flag period.
When the activity resumed, four minutes remained, and many took the opportunity for one last appearance on the asphalt. Running pre-owned tyres, the times changed, and Verstappen lowered his record even further, to 1:45.184, a time that Pérez beat with a 1:45.047 that put the Mexican in the lead.
