The Mexican also closes the third and final free practice session of the seventeenth act of the World Championship at the top of the standings.
After the best time on Friday afternoon, Sergio Perez scores the best performance of the third free practice session in the late Texan morning. The Mexican precedes by 104 thousandths a very good Carlos Sainz carrying his Ferrari ahead of Verstappen’s other Red Bull, third at 211 thousandths and the McLaren of Lando Norris. Fifth time for Valtteri Bottas and sixth for Lewis Hamilton, to whom (as happened also in Verstappen) the best absolute performance of the FP3 was canceled for having gone beyond the limits of the track. Ninth time for Charles Leclerc.
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Red Bull also in the chair in the third free practice session of the US GP. Net in the opening shift on Friday morning, Mercedes supremacy has gradually given way to the comeback of the “Bulls” but also to the progression of Ferrari above all but also McLaren. Without forgetting that the focus remains on challenge between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen. In fact, at the end of the round both the seven-time world champion and his direct rival saw themselves “snatching” chronometric performances that would have brought both ahead of Perez and the Black King in particular in the first final place. However, the Mexican appears particularly “on the ball”, a bit like what happened to Valtteri Bottas a fortnight ago in Istanbul. We repeat it: the pole hunt seems like a private affair between Lewis and Max but the role of the second drivers of Mercedes and Red Bull seems destined to become increasingly important in the sprint for the title.
Free practice 3 brought general attention the progress of Ferrari and those of Carlos Sainz particularly. The Spaniard, who in Austin can boast a decent score of results at the wheel of Toro Rosso, Renault and McLaren, “detached” the second time … at a glue from “Checo” Perez, taking away the satisfaction of separating the two Red Bull. Less brilliant Charles Leclerc, in the end ninth 987 thousandths behind Red Bull number eleven and he too deprived of his best performance by an infringement of the “track limits”. Greedy by Sainz’s exploit, However, Ferrari must not lose sight of the challenge with McLaren’s direct rivals: Lando Norris has scored the fourth time, Daniel Ricciardo the seventh by siege the Mercedes of Bottas and the aforementioned Hamilton. Regardless of the result of the qualifications, the Finn will serve a penalty on the starting grid of five positions for motor replacement. Engine-related penalties will also have to be sustained on the grid by SebasTian Vettel, George Russell and Fernando Alonso.
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