Oscar Piastri set the fastest time in the final practice session for the Spanish Grand Prix with an impressive lap, securing a one-two finish for McLaren ahead of his teammate Lando Norris.
Piastri finished half a second clear of Norris, a performance that indicates McLaren`s speed has not been hindered by the FIA`s recent technical directive regarding flexible wings, which some speculated might impact the team.
Charles Leclerc of Ferrari was third, trailing Piastri by 0.743 seconds. In the Drivers` Championship, Piastri currently leads Norris by three points.
Norris`s quickest lap was completed on older soft tires after he went wide during his initial faster run at the high-speed Turn 9. Despite this, Piastri`s pace marks him as the driver to beat heading into qualifying later today.
Commenting on McLaren`s performance, 2016 F1 world champion Nico Rosberg described it as “monumental” and “absolutely shocking” in its unexpected dominance. He praised the car, saying it was “on rails,” and called Piastri`s lap “perfect,” viewing it as a significant warning to the competitors.
George Russell of Mercedes, who had topped the timesheets earlier, finished the session in fourth. Championship leader Max Verstappen struggled with his Red Bull, ending up fifth and nearly a second off Piastri`s pace, expressing dissatisfaction with his car`s handling.
While Verstappen has been victorious in the last three Spanish Grands Prix, he faces a challenge to reduce the 25-point deficit he currently holds against championship leader Piastri.
Further down the order, the Racing Bulls drivers Isack Hadjar and Liam Lawson were sixth and tenth, respectively. Lewis Hamilton continued to struggle for pace, finishing ninth. Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes secured seventh place, just ahead of local favourite Fernando Alonso in eighth.
Elsewhere in the pit lane, Alex Albon`s session was cut short by a reliability issue on his Williams car, keeping him in the garage for the second half of practice. The session, much like Friday`s, passed without any major incidents.
Spanish GP Practice Three Results
| Driver | Team | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1) Oscar Piastri | McLaren | 1:12.387 |
| 2) Lando Norris | McLaren | +0.526 |
| 3) Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | +0.743 |
| 4) George Russell | Mercedes | +0.752 |
| 5) Max Verstappen | Red Bull | +0.988 |
| 6) Isack Hadjar | Racing Bulls | +0.995 |
| 7 Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | +1.018 |
| 8) Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | +1.027 |
| 9) Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | +1.140 |
| 10) Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls | +1.250 |
| 11) Gabriel Bortoleto | Sauber | +1.335 |
| 12) Nico Hulkenberg | Haas | +1.346 |
| 13) Carlos Sainz | Ferrari | +1.371 |
| 14) Yuki Tsunoda | Racing Bulls | +1.505 |
| 15) Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | +1.517 |
| 16) Pierre Gasly | Alpine | +1.567 |
| 17) Franco Colapinto | Williams | +1.698 |
| 18) Esteban Ocon | Alpine | +1.751 |
| 19) Alex Albon | Williams | +1.902 |
| 20) Oliver Bearman | Haas | +2.073 |
