GP Monaco, Free Practice 3: Vettel ahead of the Mercedes

Sebastian Vettel ends the third and final session in the lead Free tests in Monte Carlo.
The Ferrari driver took the lead in the last busy minutes of the available hour, ahead of the Mercedes of Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton, with a best time of 1:16.143.
Fourth place for Ricciardo's Red Bull, in turn ahead of Sainz's Toro Rosso. Kimi's Ferrari was sixth, which suffered a puncture mid-session resulting in a red flag.
Kvyat, Button, Verstappen and Grosjean complete the top ten.

News – The traffic lights come on in Monaco and the drivers waste no time and immediately hit the track. Ricciardo is the first, followed by Sainz ed Ericsson. A few seconds and the city track is invaded by all the cars, only the Ferraris hesitate a little more than expected in the pits, waiting for the track to clear. The session begins on super soft rubber only for two o'clock Mercedes and Marussia. All the others ride the yellow compound.
The first time trial on Saturday is for Force India Perez, 1:21.129. However, Maldonado, Verstappen, Sainz, Stevens immediately take turns at the top and then Lewis Hamilton arrives to silence everyone, with the best time of 1:19.074.

The Brit improved lap after lap, holding firm in the lead followed by Rosberg, Kvyat, Grosjean, Maldonado, Bottas, Hulkenberg, Massa, Perez and Nasr.
After the first fifteen minutes Hamilton it drops below 1.17, stopping the clock at 1:16.705. Behind, Bottas he slips into sixth place and Ricciardo closes the top ten.
First time trials for women too Ferrari, with Vettel moving up to fourth followed by Kimi.

After the first twenty minutes the ranking is shuffled again, with the exception of the first two positions: Hamilton and Rosberg precede Raikkonen, Ricciardo, Vettel, Kvyat, Button, Grosjean, Maldonado and Bottas.
While the Mercedes moved to soft, and Toro Rosso, Red Bull, Sauber and Bottas continue on the yellow compound, the other riders now mount the super softs.
But here comes the first red flag, with Raikkonen which punctures the left rear and stops at the Santa Devota.
A few minutes and we're off again. After the first thirty minutes Hamilton he is always in the lead ahead of Rosberg, Kimi, Alonso, Hulkenberg, Maldonado, Button, Ricciardo, Vettel and Grosjean.

Verstappen he moves to fourth position but then drops to fifth with Hag which comes in second place between the two Mercedes. All the riders up to now have mounted the super soft, with the exception of the two Red Bull.
Seventh time for Sainz, while at Rascasse Verstappen it turns around and damages the rear wing. There Toro Rosso is forced to return to the pits.

Everyone on track with the super softs in the last minutes for the qualifying simulation. Fifteen minutes to go and Hamilton he is always in front followed by Vettel, Rosberg, Kimi, Ricciardo, Verstappen, Grosjean, Sainz, Perez and Alonso. Rosberg climb over Hag e Ricciardo is brought in front of Whom in fourth position.

It's always five minutes from the end Hamilton, followed by Rosberg, Vettel, Ricciardo, Raikkonen, Kvyat, Sainz, Verstappen, Grosjean and Maldonado. But then the German's Red car took the lead in 1:16.143.

In the last hectic minutes of the session there is a lot of traffic on the track, with Perez which touches the guard rail with Force India. Checkered flag: Hag closes in command followed by Rosberg, Hamilton, Ricciardo, Sainz, Raikkonen, Kvyat, Button, Verstappen and Grosjean.

F1 GP Monaco – Times and results Free Practice 3
1. Sebastian Vettel GER Ferrari-Ferrari 1m 16.143s
2. Nico Rosberg GER Mercedes-Mercedes 1m 16.361s
3. Lewis Hamilton GBR Mercedes-Mercedes 1m 16.705s
4. Daniel Ricciardo AUS Red Bull-Renault 1m 17.120s
5. Carlos Sainz Jr ESP Toro Rosso-Renault 1m 17.256s
6. Kimi Raikkonen FIN Ferrari-Ferrari 1m 17.401s
7. Daniil Kvyat RUS Red Bull-Renault 1m 17.471s
8. Jenson Button GBR McLaren-Honda 1m 17.767s
9. Max Verstappen NED Toro Rosso-Renault 1m 17.788s
10. Romain Grosjean FRA Lotus-Mercedes 1m 17.806s
11. Sergio Perez MEX Force India-Mercedes 1m 17.832s
12. Pastor Maldonado FRI Lotus-Mercedes 1m 17.956s
13. Nico Hulkenberg GER Force India-Mercedes 1m 18.102s
14. Fernando Alonso ESP McLaren-Honda 1m 18.197s
15. Valtteri Bottas FIN Williams-Mercedes 1m 18.212s
16. Felipe Massa BRZ Williams-Mercedes 1m 18.242s
17. Felipe Nasr BRZ Sauber-Ferrari 1m 18.767s
18. Marcus Ericsson SWE Sauber-Ferrari 1m 19.269s
19. Will Stevens GBR Manor Marussia-Ferrari 1m 21.093s
20. Roberto Merhi ESP Manor Marussia-Ferrari 1m 22.225s

Nina Stefanelli