Formula 1 Today: George Russell Reigns Supreme in Wet FP3 at British Grand Prix
In a thrilling Formula 1 qualifying session, George Russell claimed the fastest time in a rain-soaked FP3 at the British Grand Prix, edging out Mercedes Formula 1 team-mate Lewis Hamilton by a narrow margin of 0.035 seconds. The session was marked by a red flag and persistent rainfall throughout, but Russell’s impressive performance earned him the top spot.
Session Dynamics
Although the circuit had dried up slightly since the earlier postponement of the F3 sprint race, the rain continued to pour down, resulting in wet and cold conditions at the start of Saturday’s FP3 session. The initial running was cautious, but as the rain subsided, the intermediate tires came into play, allowing drivers to push for faster lap times.
Yuki Tsunoda set the early pace, breaking the 1m50s barrier and then improving to a 1m47.080s on his next attempt, leapfrogging Charles Leclerc and Fernando Alonso. However, Pierre Gasly’s off-track excursion at Vale brought the session to a temporary halt, prompting a seven-minute red flag.
As the session resumed, Oscar Piastri made a significant improvement, going over two seconds quicker than Tsunoda’s pre-pause lap. The track improvement was palpable, with drivers trading times and breaking into the 1m40s. Max Verstappen, Ferraris, and McLarens all featured prominently in the top half of the field.
Final Standings
As the rain intensified, drivers switched to race-style runs, and Hamilton set a 1m38.065s, only to be beaten by Russell’s 1m37.529s. Lando Norris, who dominated FP1 and FP2, secured third place, 0.185s adrift of Russell’s benchmark. Carlos Sainz, Verstappen, Leclerc, and Piastri completed the top seven, with Fernando Alonso improving late to take eighth.
Nico Hulkenberg rounded out the top 10, 1.8s off Russell’s pace. The session’s outcome sets the stage for an intriguing Formula 1 qualifying session, with Russell and Hamilton vying for pole position. Catch up with the latest Formula 1 schedule, standings, and qualifying results as the British Grand Prix unfolds.
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