F1 GP Malaysia, Free Practice 3: Raikkonen very fast, followed by Vettel

The two Ferraris are still in the lead, but this time it is Kimi Raikkonen setting the pace in the third and final Free Practice session in Sepang, with the best time of 1:31.880. Second Sebastian Vettel, who instead suffered a problem with the electrical system on his SF70H at the end of the session. The Red Bull they prove themselves fast, with Ricciardo third e Verstappen sixth, interspersed with the two Mercedes. Bottas does better than Hamilton, only fifth, still struggling with a set up that is certainly not optimal. Qualifying will confirm or not the excellent form of the Red and the difficulties of the Silver Arrows.

News – Dry track in Sepang, when FP3 starts: the air temperature is 31°C, the asphalt temperature is 43°C. Gasly (soft) is the first to leave the pits, followed by Ericsson, Wehrlein and Alonso (on medium). Raikkonen is also inside, with the supersoft tyre. The first time of the morning goes to the Ferrari Finn, 1:32.665. Gasly behind him, then overtaken by Bottas, like his compatriot with the softer compound. Verstappen, Hamilton and Vettel are inside with the red tyre, Sainz, Ricciardo and Palmer with the yellow one. Second best time for Vettel, followed by Verstappen, Bottas and Hamilton.

Bottas takes third place, while Hamilton takes the lead with the best time, 1:32.650. Behind him, Kimi, Vettel, Verstappen, Bottas, Ricciardo, Perez, Ocon, Sainz and Hulkenberg. Ricciardo Sainz and Hulkenberg are on soft, the others on supersoft. Alonso takes ninth place with the red tire. Magnussen, on the other hand, slowly returns to the pits due to a technical problem on his Haas. Red tire also for Ricciardo now, who takes the lead in 1:32.091. Vettel and Kimi complain about a more slippery rear compared to Friday, while on Hamilton's car the previous aerodynamic solution was adopted on the front, in the hope of finding a more congenial set up. Halfway through the session, the qualifying simulation with the red tire sees Ricciardo in the lead ahead of Bottas, Hamilton, Kimi, Vettel, Verstappen, Perez, Ocon, Alonso and Vandoorne.

Vettel takes the lead, only to have it snatched away immediately afterwards by Raikkonen, in 1:31.880. With fifteen minutes to go, the two Ferraris are in the lead, with Kimi ahead of Vettel, Ricciardo, Bottas, Hamilton, Verstappen, Perez, Ocon, Stroll and Alonso. Magnussen is back on track. Verstappen is also inside, in a qualifying simulation. Ricciardo, on the other hand, has already moved on to simulating the race pace, with the yellow tyre. With about ten minutes to go, Raikkonen is still in front. Vettel, Ricciardo, Bottas, Hamilton, Verstappen, Ocon, Vandoorne, Perez and Massa follow. Vettel slows down on the track: there are problems with the rear from the telemetry and they ask him to return to the pits. Meanwhile there is a misunderstanding on the track between Palmer and Verstappen, with the Renault inadvertently hitting the rear of the Red Bull, losing part of the front wing.

The checkered flag gave Raikkonen the third free practice session, ahead of Vettel, Ricciardo, Bottas, Hamilton and Verstappen.

F1 GP Malaysia – Times, results and laps Free Practice 3