Pierre Gasly Leads the Pack in a Final Practice Session: In a turbulent final practice session for the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort, Alpine’s Pierre Gasly emerged as the fastest driver, narrowly ahead of Haas’s Kevin Magnussen and Kick Sauber’s Valtteri Bottas. The session, however, was significantly disrupted by a heavy crash involving outgoing Williams driver Logan Sargeant, which led to a red flag and considerable interruption to the running.
Also Read:
Weather Conditions and Early Drama
The final practice session began under wet conditions as rain continued to affect the Zandvoort Circuit. Despite a reduction in gusty winds compared to Friday’s sessions, the track remained sodden, necessitating the use of wet tyres when the green light signaled the start of FP3 at 11:30 local time.
Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen were among the first to take to the track. Meanwhile, Oscar Piastri diverged from the trend by opting for intermediate tyres. Piastri’s early lap of 1:24.176s was significantly slower than the benchmark set in dry conditions during FP2.
The session saw more drama when Hulkenberg, struggling with braking, collided with the barriers at Turn 11. Hulkenberg reported a repeat of the issues from his Friday crash, and his car returned to the pits with a damaged front wing. The stewards noted the unsafe condition of Hulkenberg’s car. Off-track incidents involving Magnussen, George Russell, and Fernando Alonso highlighted the challenging conditions.
Sargeant’s Crash Brings Out the Red Flag
The most significant incident occurred when Logan Sargeant lost control of his updated Williams car after running over the kerb and dipping a wheel onto the grass at Turn 3. The car slid violently into the barriers, resulting in a red flag and a temporary halt to the session. Fortunately, Sargeant confirmed he was unharmed, though his car sustained heavy damage, requiring significant repairs from the Williams team.
Prior to the crash, Fernando Alonso had set the fastest time with a 1:21.461s on intermediates, leading Piastri, Lance Stroll, and Magnussen. However, the session was paused for track repairs and debris removal.
Resumption and Final Times
After a 56-minute delay, the session resumed at 12:28 local time with just two minutes remaining. This brief period allowed drivers to make a final push for better times. Pierre Gasly seized the opportunity, setting the fastest lap with a 1:20.311s. Magnussen and Bottas followed with times of 1:20.450s and 1:21.155s, respectively.
Lando Norris put his McLaren in fourth place, ahead of Alonso, Esteban Ocon, Piastri, Stroll, and Hulkenberg, who managed to return to the track with a new front wing. Carlos Sainz rounded out the top ten, recovering from a gearbox issue encountered on Friday.
Check the Formula 1 Dutch GP 2024 FP3 results from the below mentioned table.
| Pos | No | Driver | Car | Time | Gap | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine Renault | 1:20.311 | 5 | |
| 2 | 20 | Kevin Magnussen | Haas Ferrari | 1:20.450 | +0.139s | 9 |
| 3 | 77 | Valtteri Bottas | Kick Sauber Ferrari | 1:21.155 | +0.844s | 7 |
| 4 | 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren Mercedes | 1:21.387 | +1.076s | 6 |
| 5 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin Aramco Mercedes | 1:21.461 | +1.150s | 6 |
| 6 | 31 | Esteban Ocon | Alpine Renault | 1:21.643 | +1.332s | 4 |
| 7 | 81 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren Mercedes | 1:21.850 | +1.539s | 10 |
| 8 | 18 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin Aramco Mercedes | 1:21.941 | +1.630s | 7 |
| 9 | 27 | Nico Hulkenberg | Haas Ferrari | 1:22.354 | +2.043s | 5 |
| 10 | 55 | Carlos Sainz | Ferrari | 1:22.589 | +2.278s | 6 |
| 11 | 24 | Zhou Guanyu | Kick Sauber Ferrari | 1:23.240 | +2.929s | 5 |
| 12 | 2 | Logan Sargeant | Williams Mercedes | 1:23.287 | +2.976s | 4 |
| 13 | 63 | George Russell | Mercedes | 1:23.958 | +3.647s | 7 |
| 14 | 23 | Alexander Albon | Williams Mercedes | 1:24.007 | +3.696s | 5 |
| 15 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 1:24.098 | +3.787s | 3 |
| 16 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1:24.158 | +3.847s | 4 |
| 17 | 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull Racing Honda RBPT | 1:24.360 | +4.049s | 3 |
| 18 | 3 | Daniel Ricciardo | RB Honda RBPT | 1:25.433 | +5.122s | 7 |
| 19 | 22 | Yuki Tsunoda | RB Honda RBPT | 4 | ||
| 20 | 11 | Sergio Perez | Red Bull Racing Honda RBPT | 2 |
Notable Absences and Penalties
Zhou Guanyu finished 11th for Kick Sauber, with Sargeant 12th despite his crash. Mercedes drivers Russell and Lewis Hamilton were 13th and 14th, respectively, while Alex Albon’s Williams completed the top 15. Charles Leclerc finished 16th. Max Verstappen, the home hero, was noted for failing to follow the Race Director’s instructions and ended the session in 17th, ahead of RB drivers Daniel Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda. Sergio Perez did not post a time.
As teams prepare for the crucial qualifying session, which is scheduled to begin at 15:00 local time, they will analyze the data from FP3 and make final adjustments to their cars.
