British Grand Prix – Free Practice 3: Williams back in action again

3rd after FP1 and FP2, Williams was unable to explain this dazzling form of Alexander Albon at the end of the Friday session. Fortunately for the Thai driver, the British team quickly identified an electronic problem with car number 23 and managed to allow him to participate in Free Practice 3. Despite a slower pace than the competition in the fast corners, the speed of the Williams in the slow corners and especially on the straights allowed Albon to once again set a great time. The former Red Bull driver recorded a time only 17 hundredths slower than Charles Leclerc’s fastest lap.

Williams, who is celebrating their 800th Grand Prix at home, can also count on their second driver, Logan Sargeant. The American rookie finished this third free practice session in 7th position. The FW45 is therefore particularly comfortable on the Silverstone circuit. The last time both Williams cars finished in the Top 10 was during the 2021 Belgian Grand Prix. It was a very special race that gave George Russell his first podium in his F1 career.

Mercedes and Ferrari spent the first part of the session working on their qualifying pace with the soft tires. Two teams with very different car characteristics. The Ferrari is very comfortable on one lap but suffers a lot from degradation during long stints, while the Mercedes is very susceptible to many external variables. Its operating window is therefore particularly narrow in qualifying simulations.

The English weather lived up to its reputation by dropping its first raindrops halfway through the session. Charles Leclerc, who is desperately in need of track time, stayed on track despite the rain to gather data. The Monegasque driver gained some confidence for the qualifying session by setting the fastest lap. Despite a minor spin in the rain, the Ferrari driver seems to be one of the only drivers capable of challenging Max Verstappen in qualifying.

It was a very discreet session for the Red Bulls. They gave the impression of being intimidated by their own pace. Aware of their Olympic form and superior to that of their opponents, the winged bulls focused almost exclusively on their race pace with the medium tires. This explained why Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez finished this first Saturday session in 8th and 14th place respectively.

Equipped with a new front wing, Pierre Gasly was on a mission to make the new investors of Alpine proud this session. The native of Rouen registered the 4th best time on dry asphalt and was the second fastest driver in the rain. If the Silverstone tarmac remains wet for the qualifying session, the Norman driver could secure a very good position on the starting grid for Sunday’s race.

FP3 Results: