Max Verstappen ended George Russell’s strong start to the Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend by topping final practice in Baku, setting the fastest time ahead of Russell and Lewis Hamilton.
Verstappen posted a 1:43.922 on the soft tyres late in the session to finish just 0.099 seconds ahead of Russell. Hamilton was only another 0.012 seconds behind, putting the top three within just over a tenth of each other as the teams prepare for qualifying.
Russell had dominated the opening two practice sessions and looked capable of carrying that form into FP3, but Verstappen found extra pace when the drivers switched to their soft tyre runs.
Kimi Antonelli finished fourth for Mercedes, 0.351 seconds off Verstappen, while Charles Leclerc placed fifth for Ferrari. Pierre Gasly was sixth for Alpine, followed by Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris.
Isack Hadjar continued his return from injury with ninth fastest, while Franco Colapinto completed the top ten.
The session was not without drama around the demanding Baku street circuit. Several drivers struggled with the windy conditions and ran wide at different points, with the narrow walls leaving very little room for error.
Verstappen also pushed the limits as he searched for the final few hundredths, while Lance Stroll encountered trouble after hitting the wall and bringing his Aston Martin session to an early end.
After Mercedes controlled the opening stages of the weekend, Verstappen’s FP3 performance has added another contender to the fight for pole position. With just 0.111 seconds separating Verstappen, Russell and Hamilton, qualifying is shaping up to be a closely fought battle.
Antonelli will also be hoping for a cleaner session after his hydraulic problem in FP1 restricted his running, while Ferrari will be encouraged by Hamilton’s pace ahead of qualifying.
With the Baku circuit offering long straights and tight corners, even the smallest mistake can have a major impact. Verstappen now heads into qualifying with the fastest time from final practice, but Russell and Hamilton remain right on his heels.
