The Dutchman Max Verstappen (Red Bull), leader of the Formula 1 World Championship, achieved the best time this Saturday in the third and last free practice session of the Italian Grand Prix.
But the defending champion will not be able to compete for pole position this Saturday. He was penalized for changing his internal combustion engine beyond the authorized limit per season. On Sunday he will start with five penalty places on the grid.
Charles Leclerc (Ferrari), second in the championship, 109 points behind Verstappen, is the favorite in the standings, this Saturday at 4:00 p.m. local time (GMT+2). In the last training he was third.
Leclerc is not penalized this weekend, unlike Sergio Pérez (Red Bull) and Carlos Sainz (Ferrari), third and fourth in testing. The first will have ten places on the grid and the second will start from the back of the grid.
The classification is open, with numerous drivers already penalized: Esteban Ocon (Alpine) with five places, Valtteri Bottas (Alfa Romeo), Kevin Magnussen and Mick Schumacher (Haas) fifteen, Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) and Yuki Tsunoda (AlphaTauri) relegated at the bottom of the grill.
In these conditions, Fernando Alonso (Alpine), Lando Norris (McLaren) or George Russell (Mercedes); fifth, sixth and seventh in the last test, they can give the bell and take the pole.
In addition, Dutchman Nyck de Vries will drive a Williams in qualifying and in the race, replacing the starter, Thai Alex Albon, who is out due to appendicitis, the British Formula 1 team announced.
– Third free practice session:
Max Verstappen (NED/Red Bull) 1:21.252
Charles Leclerc (MON/Ferrari) 1:21.599
Sergio Perez (MEX/Red Bull) 1:21.848
Carlos Sainz Jr (ESP/Ferrari) 1:21.897
Fernando Alonso (ESP/Alpine-Renault) 1:22.306
Lando Norris (GBR/McLaren-Mercedes) 1:22.319
George Russell (GBR/Mercedes) 1:22.357
Yuki Tsunoda (JPN/AlphaTauri-Red Bull) 1:22.430
Esteban Ocon (FRA/Alpine-Renault) 1:22.506
Lewis Hamilton (GBR/Mercedes) 1:22.567
Zhou Guanyu (CHN/Alfa Romeo) 1:22.657
Pierre Gasly (FRA/AlphaTauri-Red Bull) 1:22.755
Nicholas Latifi (CAN/Williams-Mercedes) 1:22.776
Nyck de Vries (NED/Williams-Mercedes) 1:22.869
Daniel Ricciardo (AUS/McLaren-Mercedes) 1:22.871
Valtteri Bottas (FIN/Alfa Romeo) 1:22.950
Sebastian Vettel (GER/Aston Martin-Mercedes) 1:23.104
Kevin Magnussen (DEN/Haas-Ferrari) 1:23.203
Mick Schumacher (GER/Haas-Ferrari) 1:23.392
Lance Stroll (CAN/Aston Martin-Mercedes) 1:23.739
