Belgium – Free Practice 3: Vettel stays ahead
Sebastian Vettel set the fastest time in the final practice session of the 2013 Belgian Grand Prix in Formula 1. The Red Bull Racing driver was ahead of Fernando Alonso and Mark Webber.
It’s a threatening sky that greets the Formula 1 actors this Saturday morning, but rain is not expected before the afternoon. As for the temperatures, it is as mild as yesterday with 20 degrees in the air and 21 degrees on the track.
Jules Bianchi is the first man to take to the track. Grosjean, Chilton, Gutierrez, and Räikkönen quickly follow the Marussia driver. Pastor Maldonado is the first to go for a timed lap. 1:52.479 for the Venezuelan.
Aside from changes in leadership, not much is happening in this session. Lewis Hamilton gives the spectators in the stands a show by missing the braking at the last chicane 36 minutes from the checkered flag. Räikkönen also slides at the same spot. The Finn is the fastest on track with a lap completed in 1:49.759.
Jean-Eric Vergne is the last driver to go out and set a time this morning. The Toro Rosso driver immediately ranks in tenth position, just three-tenths off Kimi Räikkönen. On the next lap, JEV improves and moves ahead of the Finn. 1:49.479 with hard tires.
At mid-session, the top 3 is composed of Vergne, Räikkönen, and Bottas.
In the pits, the McLaren mechanics are busy around Sergio Pérez’s car while Jenson Button returns to the track. Button reports that the changes made to his rear wing do not improve the handling of his car.
There are 15 minutes left in this FP3 session and Vergne is still in front. Vettel has moved up behind the tricolor driver, and Räikkönen is third. In fourth place is Bottas, who is ahead of Nico Rosberg.
Force India traditionally performs well in Belgium, and Sutil proves it once again by placing himself at the top of the time sheet with a 1:48.135. The German is displaced a few minutes later by Fernando Alonso with a 1:48.432. The Spaniard is followed by Felipe Massa, who still concedes 3 tenths to his team leader. The hierarchy continues to evolve in the last 10 minutes of this final practice session.
At the moment the timer shows zero, it is Vettel who holds the reference time at 1:48.327. The German is followed by Alonso, Webber, Vergne, and Massa.
Results of Free Practice 3 of the 2013 Belgian Grand Prix.
| N° | Driver | Team | Times | Gap | Laps |
1 | Vettel | Infiniti Red Bull Racing | 1:48.327 | 16 | |
2 | Alonso | Scuderia Ferrari | 1:48.432 | +0.105 | 14 |
3 | Webber | Infiniti Red Bull Racing | 1:48.533 | +0.206 | 16 |
4 | Vergne | Scuderia Toro Rosso | 1:48.776 | +0.449 | 15 |
5 | Massa | Scuderia Ferrari | 1:48.788 | +0.461 | 15 |
6 | Button | Vodafone McLaren Mercedes | 1:48.882 | +0.555 | 13 |
7 | Gutierrez | Sauber F1 Team | 1:48.930 | +0.603 | 18 |
8 | Grosjean | Lotus F1 Team | 1:48.967 | +0.640 | 14 |
9 | Rosberg | Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team | 1:48.993 | +0.666 | 16 |
10 | Räikkönen | Lotus F1 Team | 1:49.008 | +0.681 | 17 |
11 | Ricciardo | Scuderia Toro Rosso | 1:49.035 | +0.708 | 15 |
12 | Hamilton | Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team | 1:49.046 | +0.719 | 17 |
13 | Sutil | Sahara Force India F1 Team | 1:49.122 | +0.795 | 15 |
14 | Bottas | Williams F1 Team | 1:49.177 | +0.850 | 15 |
15 | di Resta | Sahara Force India F1 Team | 1:49.226 | +0.899 | 14 |
16 | Perez | Vodafone McLaren Mercedes | 1:49.417 | +1.090 | 14 |
17 | Hülkenberg | Sauber F1 Team | 1:49.478 | +1.151 | 19 |
18 | Maldonado | Williams F1 Team | 1:50.418 | +2.091 | 14 |
19 | Pic | Caterham F1 Team | 1:51.416 | +3.089 | 15 |
20 | Van der Garde | Caterham F1 Team | 1:51.800 | +3.473 | 18 |
21 | Bianchi | Marussia F1 Team | 1:52.221 | +3.894 | 17 |
22 | Chilton | Marussia F1 Team | 1:53.507 | +5.180 | 18 |
From our special correspondent at Spa-Francorchamps
