The Dutchman (Red Bull) set the best time ahead of Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) and George Russell (Mercedes).
Dutchman Max Verstappen (Red Bull) set the best time in the third free practice session of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, second round of the Formula 1 World Championship, Friday on the Jeddah urban circuit (6.174 km) .
Beaten by the Spanish veteran Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) and the Briton George Russell (Mercedes) on Thursday, the three-time world champion set the record straight on Friday afternoon and will approach the qualifications which will be contested in the evening with confidence.
Read alsoFormula 1: the violent crash of Zhou Guanyu (Sauber) during free practice for the Saudi Arabian GP (video)
The session was marked by the spectacular accident of the Chinese Guanyu Zhou (Sauber), who lost the rear of his car at full speed, spun and ended up in the protections, greatly damaging his car . A red flag was waved and the session, which resumed four minutes from time, was shortened by 13 minutes.
Before that, Verstappen had already taken control and was no longer worried. He finally beat Monegasque Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) by two tenths and his Mexican teammate Sergio Pérez by almost half a second.
Russell took fourth place, just ahead of his compatriot Lando Norris (McLaren), while Alonso, less energetic than Thursday, had to settle for sixth place, ahead of his Canadian teammate Lance Stroll.
The Australian Oscar Piastri (McLaren) is in eighth place, ahead of the seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes), while the Top 10 is completed by the novice Oliver Bearman, who replaced the Spaniard Carlos Sainz, victim of appendicitis, in the seat of the second Ferrari single-seater.
The 18-year-old Briton, who was taking part in the third test session of his F1 career, the first with Ferrari after the two carried out last year at the wheel of a Haas, was not impressed.
The Scuderia reserve driver, entered in the F2 championship this season, should compete in the first Grand Prix of his career in the premier category on Saturday in Jeddah and become the third youngest competitor in history to drive in F1.
. 3rd free practice session:
Max Verstappen (NED/Red Bull) 1:28.412
Charles Leclerc (MON/Ferrari) 1:28.608
Sergio Pérez (MEX/Red Bull) 1:28.906
George Russell (GBR/Mercedes) 1:28.964
Lando Norris (GBR/McLaren-Mercedes) 1:28.971
Fernando Alonso (ESP/Aston Martin-Mercedes) 1:29.038
Lance Stroll (CAN/Aston Martin-Mercedes) 1:29.127
Oscar Piastri (AUS/McLaren-Mercedes) 1:29.213
Lewis Hamilton (GBR/Mercedes) 1:29.268
Oliver Bearman (GBR/Ferrari) 1:29.306
Kevin Magnussen (DEN/Haas-Ferrari) 1:29.485
Pierre Gasly (FRA/Alpine-Renault) 1:29.546
Yuki Tsunoda (JPN/Racing Bulls-Red Bull) 1:29.572
Esteban Ocon (FRA/Alpine-Renault) 1:29.575
Nico Hülkenberg (GER/Haas-Ferrari) 1:29.675
Daniel Ricciardo (AUS/Racing Bulls-Red Bull) 1:29.740
Alexander Albon (THA/Williams-Mercedes) 1:29.808
Valtteri Bottas (FIN/Sauber-Ferrari) 1:30.083
Zhou Guanyu (CHN/Sauber-Ferrari) 1:30.739
Logan Sargeant (USA/Williams-Mercedes) 0.000
