Verstappen tops close final Mexican practice

2017 Mexican Grand Prix third practice

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Max Verstappen was quickest in the final practice session for the Mexican Grand Prix, ahead of Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel.

The Red Bull driver lowered a new track record of a 1’17.113 to set the pace, just 0.075s ahead of Hamilton and 0.117s faster than Vettel.

It was a cool but clear start to the final practice session in Mexico City as teams prepared for the upcoming qualifying.

There was early drama for Pierre Gasly, who pulled off track in the stadium section on his first flying lap of the day after suffering an apparent engine problem.

The braking zone for Turn One proved difficult once again, with Nico Hulkenberg, Carlos Sainz Jr and Kevin Magnussen all locking up under heavy retardation.

Only 0.117s separated Max Verstappen, Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel at the top of the timing screens before the field ventured out for their qualifying simulation runs at the end of the session.

There were no improvements at the front of the field, however, leaving Verstappen and Red Bull on top of the time sheets ahead of this afternoon’s qualifying session.

Pos.No.DriverCarBest lapGapLaps
133Max VerstappenRed Bull-TAG Heuer1’17.11320
244Lewis HamiltonMercedes1’17.1880.07523
35Sebastian VettelFerrari1’17.2300.11721
477Valtteri BottasMercedes1’17.2830.17018
53Daniel RicciardoRed Bull-TAG Heuer1’17.3610.24810
67Kimi RaikkonenFerrari1’17.5170.40427
711Sergio PerezForce India-Mercedes1’18.0400.92720
831Esteban OconForce India-Mercedes1’18.1651.05218
955Carlos Sainz JnrRenault1’18.2081.09521
1027Nico HulkenbergRenault1’18.3801.26721
1128Brendon HartleyToro Rosso-Renault1’18.6021.48923
1219Felipe MassaWilliams-Mercedes1’18.6901.57723
1318Lance StrollWilliams-Mercedes1’19.0661.95320
1420Kevin MagnussenHaas-Ferrari1’19.2052.09219
159Marcus EricssonSauber-Ferrari1’19.3312.21827
1614Fernando AlonsoMcLaren-Honda1’19.5652.45222
178Romain GrosjeanHaas-Ferrari1’19.5862.47322
1894Pascal WehrleinSauber-Ferrari1’19.8262.71316
192Stoffel VandoorneMcLaren-Honda1’20.0302.91725
2010Pierre GaslyToro Rosso-Renault

Third practice visual gaps

Max Verstappen – 1’17.113

+0.075 Lewis Hamilton – 1’17.188

+0.117 Sebastian Vettel – 1’17.230

+0.170 Valtteri Bottas – 1’17.283

+0.248 Daniel Ricciardo – 1’17.361

+0.404 Kimi Raikkonen – 1’17.517

+0.927 Sergio Perez – 1’18.040

+1.052 Esteban Ocon – 1’18.165

+1.095 Carlos Sainz Jnr – 1’18.208

+1.267 Nico Hulkenberg – 1’18.380

+1.489 Brendon Hartley – 1’18.602

+1.577 Felipe Massa – 1’18.690

+1.953 Lance Stroll – 1’19.066

+2.092 Kevin Magnussen – 1’19.205

+2.218 Marcus Ericsson – 1’19.331

+2.452 Fernando Alonso – 1’19.565

+2.473 Romain Grosjean – 1’19.586

+2.713 Pascal Wehrlein – 1’19.826

+2.917 Stoffel Vandoorne – 1’20.030

Drivers more then ten seconds off the pace omitted.

Combined practice times

PosDriverCarFP1FP2FP3Fri/Sat diffTotal laps
1Max VerstappenRed Bull-TAG Heuer1’18.3951’17.9641’17.113-0.85153
2Lewis HamiltonMercedes1’18.2901’17.9321’17.188-0.74498
3Sebastian VettelFerrari1’18.5861’18.0511’17.230-0.82184
4Valtteri BottasMercedes1’17.8241’18.2991’17.283-0.541103
5Daniel RicciardoRed Bull-TAG Heuer1’18.4211’17.8011’17.361-0.4464
6Kimi RaikkonenFerrari1’19.0081’18.1421’17.517-0.62594
7Sergio PerezForce India-Mercedes1’19.2401’18.7281’18.040-0.68882
8Esteban OconForce India-Mercedes1’18.8221’18.165-0.65760
9Carlos Sainz JnrRenault1’19.5541’19.0601’18.208-0.85275
10Nico HulkenbergRenault1’19.5521’18.7751’18.380-0.39559
11Fernando AlonsoMcLaren-Honda1’19.3461’18.5081’19.565+1.05768
12Brendon HartleyToro Rosso-Renault1’21.7471’19.4231’18.602-0.82173
13Felipe MassaWilliams-Mercedes1’19.4431’19.2061’18.690-0.51692
14Lance StrollWilliams-Mercedes1’19.7721’19.5241’19.066-0.45896
15Kevin MagnussenHaas-Ferrari1’20.6441’20.3181’19.205-1.11370
16Marcus EricssonSauber-Ferrari1’20.3621’19.331-1.03165
17Romain GrosjeanHaas-Ferrari1’25.5261’19.586-5.9425
18Pascal WehrleinSauber-Ferrari1’20.9711’20.3061’19.826-0.4884
19Stoffel VandoorneMcLaren-Honda1’19.8441’20.030+0.18660
20Antonio GiovinazziHaas-Ferrari1’21.26926
21Charles LeclercSauber-Ferrari1’21.44628
22Sean GelaelToro Rosso-Renault1’21.63929
23Pierre GaslyToro Rosso-Renault1’21.74512
24Alfonso CelisForce India-Mercedes1’22.34217

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    Will Wood
    Will has been a RaceFans contributor since 2012 during which time he has covered F1 test sessions, launch events and interviewed drivers. He mainly...

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    11 comments on “Verstappen tops close final Mexican practice”

    1. Profile Photo

      Hugh (@hugh11)
      28th October 2017, 17:11

      Top 3 all within .25s? Wow. Of course, 2 are Red Bulls, so will be a bit further away in qualifying, but still.

    2. A motorsports fan
      28th October 2017, 17:13

      too bad that gap to mercedes is not big enough to cater for the mercedes/ferrari qualifying engine mode … would be nice to see max on pole for the first time.

      1. Johnny H.
        28th October 2017, 17:20

        Probably Max would already have some poles if not for that Merc/Fer qualifying mode.

        1. Profile Photo

          EC (@dutch-1)
          28th October 2017, 17:31

          But this time you can’t say it’s impossible. Wouldn’t be surprised to see Max’s first pole this weekend or maybe Daniel has a perfect lap. Would love to see that.

      2. Profile Photo

        BaKano (@bakano)
        28th October 2017, 17:27

        Even with the qualifying mode, in particular the one from Mercedes, I would not count out Max just yet, or even Ricciardo if he manages to pull one of his special laps.
        Of course I think it is less likely than an Hamilton, or even, Vettel, pole, but Red Bull (particularly Max) might do it.

        1. Anon
          28th October 2017, 18:36

          Given that he has to take an engine penalty anyway, it wouldn’t make any difference if he did.

    3. Profile Photo

      racerdude7730 (@racerdude7730)
      28th October 2017, 17:27

      Top 3 in the race (1.Ham 2.Vet 3. Ver) Or (1.Ham 2. Ver 3. vet)? I just don’t know

    4. Ispookie666
      28th October 2017, 17:51

      Bottas drives into Lewis. Verstsppen into kimI. Dan and vettel slug it out till the end. That would be a perfect race dsy

    5. Profile Photo

      dutchtreat (@dutchtreat)
      28th October 2017, 18:19

      Not very sporting of me, but I would love see Vettel win the race and Lewis finish without points. Just want the fight to go a bit longer. Good for F1.

      1. Johnny H.
        28th October 2017, 18:31

        Yep, not very sporting Mich!

    6. Profile Photo

      Jorge Lardone (@jorge-lardone)
      28th October 2017, 18:33

      Brendon Hartley is 13! Good…

    Comments are closed.