Gasly finishes FP3 fastest with Magnussen and... in the...

Gasly finishes FP3 fastest, with Magnussen and… in the… Read More

In an eventful third free practice session (FP3) at the Dutch Grand Prix, Pierre Gasly surprised everyone by setting the fastest lap time, with Kevin Magnussen and Valtteri Bottas completing the top three. However, the session was largely compromised by adverse weather conditions and a significant crash from Logan Sargeant, making the lead-up to qualifying more unpredictable.

As the third free practice session began, the Zandvoort circuit was once again drenched, following the heavy rain that had affected earlier sessions throughout the weekend. The wet conditions forced drivers to start on full wet tyres, limiting the speed and grip on the track. The treacherous conditions tested the drivers’ skills and their teams’ strategies.

Among the first drivers to venture out on the wet track were Nico Hulkenberg, Oscar Piastri, and Carlos Sainz. Aston Martin also took the opportunity to get some running in the damp conditions. However, it quickly became evident that the track was improving, with Hulkenberg suggesting that the conditions were suitable for intermediate tyres just four minutes into the session.

Despite the improving conditions, several drivers struggled to keep their cars on the track. Nico Hulkenberg, who had experienced braking issues during Friday’s practice sessions, encountered the same problems again. The German driver failed to slow down adequately at a corner and collided with the barriers, severely damaging his Haas car’s front wing. Fortunately, he managed to limp back to the pitlane.

Shortly after Hulkenberg’s incident, George Russell also had difficulties managing the slippery circuit, spinning out and causing a brief yellow flag. Though he escaped unscathed, these incidents highlighted just how tricky the conditions were, even as the track gradually began to dry out.

The session took a dramatic turn when Williams driver Logan Sargeant suffered a major crash. As the track conditions improved, Sargeant was pushing hard, but he lost control of his car and crashed heavily into the barriers. The impact was severe, with significant damage to the car, particularly at the rear, where a small fire ignited.

Despite the force of the crash, Sargeant was able to climb out of the wrecked car unaided. He was quickly taken to the medical centre for precautionary checks but was later cleared to return to the paddock. However, the crash effectively ended his hopes of competing in the upcoming qualifying session, and his participation in the race was thrown into doubt.

Due to the severity of Sargeant’s crash, the session was immediately red-flagged to allow marshals to repair the damaged barriers and clear the debris from the track. The delay was lengthy, as extensive repairs were needed to ensure the track was safe for the remainder of the session and the subsequent qualifying event.

For the teams, the red flag was a significant disruption, as it occurred just as the track conditions were starting to improve. Many teams had made changes to their cars overnight, but with the majority of FP3 lost to the stoppage, there was little opportunity to test these updates properly. The result was a somewhat chaotic build-up to the crucial qualifying session later in the day.

After an extended delay, the session resumed with just two minutes left on the clock. With time running out, most drivers rushed out of the pitlane to get at least one lap in before the session ended. This created a frantic atmosphere, with cars jostling for position and attempting to set a fast time on a rapidly drying track.

In the final flurry of laps, Pierre Gasly managed to set the fastest time of the session, putting his Alpine at the top of the timesheets. Kevin Magnussen, driving for Haas, delivered an impressive performance to finish second, while Valtteri Bottas took third place in his Alfa Romeo. These results added to the intrigue ahead of qualifying, as the usual front-runners, including the Red Bull and Mercedes drivers, were unable to get in a proper flying lap due to the limited running.

With such limited running in FP3 and the unusual top three, there is a heightened sense of unpredictability heading into the Dutch Grand Prix qualifying session. The conditions throughout the weekend have already thrown several surprises, and the lack of significant dry running means that teams may struggle to dial in their cars for the qualifying session.

The mystery surrounding the qualifying pace of many teams adds to the excitement and drama of what could be an unpredictable and thrilling session at Zandvoort.