Monaco – Free Practice 3: Rosberg shines in a session marked by accidents

It’s once again sunny above the Monaco circuit as we begin the third free practice session of the weekend. The thermometer reads 18 degrees in the air and 29 on the track. The Monaco track is quickly taken by storm by numerous drivers doing reconnaissance laps. Esteban Gutiérrez is the first to set a time at 1:26.137. The Mexican improves on the next lap with a time of 1:20.264.

Giedo van der Garde also sets off for a flying lap while Gutiérrez stays on track. The Dutch driver completes the lap in 1:21.997, leading his teammate. Only three drivers have set a time on the time sheet after 10 minutes, but Vergne, as well as Ricciardo and Hamilton, take to the track. After a few laps, the times start to fall. Nico Hülkenberg displaces his teammate from the first position. 1:16.371 for the German, who leads Jean-Eric Vergne.

As often happens after the first third of the session, the big guns get down to business. Sebastian Vettel takes the lead with a time of 1:15.791. Pastor Maldonado, who seems to be regaining form since Thursday, moves into second place, less than a tenth behind the triple world champion. At the bottom of the standings, we find Fernando Alonso finishing his first flying lap in 20th position. The Spaniard logically improves on the next attempt and places his Ferrari F138 in 4th, while Webber climbs behind Vettel in the standings.

Nico Rosberg, the fastest man in the previous two sessions, sets the third fastest time. Romain Grosjean is also on a fast lap but the Frenchman suffers a puncture caused by a touch with the barrier. An incident that causes damage to the rear of the floor of the Lotus E21.

There are 30 minutes left in this session led by Sebastian Vettel and Nico Rosberg. The Mercedes driver improves his time but falls short by 0.027 seconds from the Red Bull RB9.

Just over 20 minutes from the end, Felipe Massa loses control of his car at the end of the pit straight. The Brazilian locks the wheels and hits the barrier on the left side of the track before ending his journey at Sainte Devote. The F138 is destroyed and the red flag is rightly out. The Scuderia mechanics will have a lot of work to do if they want Massa to take part in the qualifying session this afternoon. Another incident occurs a few moments later at Massenet. Adrian Sutil loses the rear of his Force India, which is unforgiving. Damaged car. A rarer image, that of an F1 in reverse gear. Jean-Eric Vergne missed the Mirabeau turn and went straight without any damage; he can return to the track. Kimi Räikkönen will do the same thing a few minutes later.

Romain Grosjean returns to the track for the final 11 minutes of this session. The other Lotus, Kimi Räikkönen’s, is on a fast lap and takes 4th place while Grosjean displaces Vettel from the first position with a 1:15.051. Nico Rosberg is also on an excellent lap and gains six-tenths on the Frenchman. Grosjean destroys his Lotus at Sainte-Devote. Another red flag and the end of the session for the Frenchman. It’s his third crash in three practice sessions this weekend…

Nico Rosberg finishes this session in the lead with a time of 1:14.378. He is ahead of Romain Grosjean and Sebastian Vettel.

Results of Free Practice 3 of the Monaco Grand Prix: