Saturday in Mexico City opened exactly as Friday ended, with Max Verstappen’s best time. The Red Bull driver, as on other occasions, moved to the top of the standings by recording the best time in 1:17.887, in what was a particular session for the standard bearer of the Milton Keynes team.
After making the first attempt on the soft, the Dutchman directly started the long run on the same tire without returning to the pits, demonstrating that when he recorded the first time, he had at least ten laps of fuel on board the car . Verstappen then improved in the final part of the session when everyone else returned to the track for a second attempt on the softer compound, beating the time that Alexander Albon had set moments earlier by just 70 thousandths. However, it is important to mention that the Red Bull driver still encountered traffic on his lap.
Behind the leader is Albon himself with a surprising Williams, inserting himself between the two RB19s. Yesterday the driver from the Grove team made no secret that he was aiming for at least Q3 and today he wants to confirm those hopes. Third time for Sergio Perez who, in the first attempt on the softer compound, followed the same program on the soft as Verstappen, and then made a real push with a lower quantity of fuel which took him to third place in the session, about a tenth away and a half from his teammate.
Photo by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images
Alex Albon, Williams FW45
The first Mercedes, that of George Russell, was further behind. Compared to yesterday, when the team felt it had not found the correct operating window, the set-up was significantly changed in the hope of being able to take that classic step forward that Mercedes has been able to take on other occasions. able to complete from Friday to Saturday. The Englishman managed to put around three tenths between himself and his teammate, with Hamilton tenth who suffered especially in the central sector and, more specifically, in the change of direction between turns 4 and 5.
Fifth time for Oscar Piastri’s McLaren, about half a second from the top, while Valtteri Bottas confirmed himself in the top ten, having already given good sensations yesterday, proving confident of being able to enter the fight for the top ten. On a track where the team can lower the car more than in other events, Alfa wants to score important points for its ranking.
Behind the Finn comes Yuki Tsunoda, who however will start from the back of the grid following the replacement of the Power Unit on his single-seater. His teammate, Daniel Ricciardo, nevertheless entered the top ten, taking ninth place, confirming the good competitiveness of the AT04 on a track more congenial to it. It is interesting to note that during the third session, the Faenza team also tried the slipstream game, most likely in case it proved necessary to allow the Australian to pass Q2 and enter the final heat.
![Charles Leclerc, Ferrari SF-23](https://cdn-9.motorsport.com/images/mgl/2QzaPQmY/s1000/charles-leclerc-ferrari-sf-23-1.jpg)
Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari SF-23
Logan Sargeant was eleventh, although almost eight tenths behind his teammate. Behind him, Guanyu Zhou’s Alfa Romeo and the first Ferrari, that of Charles Leclerc. Like other teams, the Red team dedicated the central part of the session to long runs, and then made an attempt at a time attack in the final minutes, when the track was in better conditions. However, both the Monegasque and Carlos Sainz were unable to set a good time due to traffic. The Monegasque had to abort his first attempt on the new tire and, given the little time available before the checkered flag, he was unable to cool it down sufficiently before the second push on the same tyre, which led him to only finish in thirteenth position . Things went worse for the Spaniard who, having ended up in Stroll traffic in the second sector, ended up spinning, thus destroying his tyres.
Closing out the ranking are the two Haas, the Aston Martin of Fernando Alonso and the two Alpines, with the French cars appearing to be in an almost opposite situation to that experienced yesterday, as they had defined the first two free practice sessions as one of their best Fridays of the season.
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