The third and final day of testing started with the usual morning routine for the teams. Everyone did some aerodynamic tests, and only Carlos Sainz and Lando Norris pushed a bit more.
The Spaniard set an interesting time (considering the time of the day, as in the morning the track and the air are hotter) of 1:31.247 (C3). Norris was +0.861 behind with the same compound.
Not long after the start, another drain cover came off in the same spot as yesterday, and the session was red-flagged. This time it was Sergio Perez who hit it, and Red Bull’s mechanics were checking the floor of the car.
Meanwhile, it was announced that there wouldn’t be the usual midday break between 12 PM and 1 PM. The session resumed at 11:45 AM local time (9:45 AM CET) , with 7 hours 25 minutes to go.
As the activity on track resumed, the teams were focusing on different programs. Some tried a one-lap attack, while others race pace simulation.
Perez got closer to Sainz with the C3 tire as he reduced the gap to +0.400. Lewis Hamilton fitted the C5 tire and made a mistake in his first lap. He improved during his second attempt, but only went third fastest, +0,752 behind Sainz.
Sainz, Ricciardo, and Magnussen were working on race pace simulation. Meanwhile, Hamilton tried another lap with the C3, but made another mistake. Perez improved again, going +0.236 slower than Sainz, but it was a good lap considering the track and air temperature were higher.
In the final hours of the morning session (which would theoretically finish at 12 PM CET), all the teams worked on race pace simulation. Daniel Ricciardo was doing a great work as his times were extremely consistent, and he even improved his best time after a few laps on used tires.
30 minutes before 12 PM CET, Ricciardo and Kevin Magnussen were the two drivers with most laps, 65 and 63, respectively. Sainz was right behind them with 52, Lance Stroll had 46, Esteban Ocon 42, Perez and Hamilton 38, Valtteri Bottas 28, and Alexander Albon 25.
