During the first and second free practice Williams turned out to be the big surprise. Albon was third twice and Logan Sargeant was fifth fastest in the second practice session. Can the legendary team continue this form into qualifying? That’s hard to say. Especially considering that it might rain. The FIA indicates that there is a 90 percent chance of rain. At the start of the training it is still dry.
Norris is one of the first drivers to go out, but the British driver stops his car at the end of the pit lane. Not for a test start. There appears to be another device on the exhaust. The team reports this just in time to the driver who parks his car at the end of the pits so that a mechanic can collect the device.
🟢 FP3 GREEN LIGHT 🟢
The final hour of practice before qualifying 👉
Norris has pulled up at the end of the pit lane, his McLaren team asking him to stop the car ✋#BritishGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/EINdFKDTWw
— Formula 1 (@F1) July 8, 2023
Is Williams really that fast?
On the mediums Sargeant and Albon hang around midfield. The team has therefore made a step, but is not yet close to the top four. Williams is a lot closer on the soft tyre. Albon is second fastest and Sargeant seventh, but not all top teams have been able to drive a fast lap on the soft tyre.
Charles, come on in, boy
This is partly because the predicted shower is arriving. With 33 minutes to go, all drivers come in except Leclerc. He tells his team that he wants to stay out one more lap on the soft tyre. “I’m not going to take any risks,” the driver promises. After a round full of slipping and sliding, he brings his Ferrari inside.
Rain is falling and everyone returns to the pits
Everyone, that is, but Charles Leclerc who’s still out there maximizing his track time! 💪#BritishGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/Gkf8WdsXz3
— Formula 1 (@F1) July 8, 2023
With 25 minutes to go, Lando Norris is the first to test out the track intermediates. According to the driver, the track is not that bad except for a few parts. After a practice lap, Norris switches back to the dry weather tires. Other drivers prefer the inters. It seems that the first part of the track is wet enough for the rain tyre, but the soft tire is better on the rest of the track.
Patchy rain around the circuit 🌧️☁️
It’s soft tires for Norris 🔴 but others have bolted on intermediates 🟢#BritishGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/smzCGfpkWQ
— Formula 1 (@F1) July 8, 2023
As the session progresses, it continues to rain. The fastest times are of course no longer improved. As a result, Leclerc has the fastest time and Albon is in the top three for the third time this weekend. Max Verstappen is on the mediums 0.8 seconds slower than Leclerc’s fastest time. Verstappen is still testing the intermediates, but according to him those tires are already written off after one lap. Still, the Dutchman is two seconds faster than anyone else on the rain tires in his fastest lap. Confidence in the rain is still good for Verstappen
Max Verstappen putting on the afterburners 🚀#BritishGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/U9BBXVCElW
— Formula 1 (@F1) July 8, 2023
Results of 3rd Free Practice for the 2023 British GP
- Leclerc
- Albon
- Alonso
- Gasly
- Hamilton
- Sainz
- Sergeant
- Verstappen
- Russell
- Tsunoda
- DeVries
- Norris
- Stroll
- Perez
- Magnussen
- Ocon
- Piastri
- Bottas
- Hulkenberg
- zhou
What time does F1 start at Silverstone?
Saturday
Qualification: 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Sunday
Race: 4:00 PM
#Daredevil #Leclerc #fastest #3rd #free #practice #British