Tuscany GP practice 3: Valtteri Bottas is fastest again, but Max Verstappen is a threat

The first three are divided by less than a tenth of a second in final practice; Watch the 2pm qualifying on Sky Sports F1

Max Verstappen could be a real qualifying threat for Mercedes at the Tuscany GP after finishing just behind Valtteri Bottas in final practice, who sealed a hat-trick of faster times to start Mugello’s F1 arc.

Verstappen split the Mercedes and was just 0.017 seconds slower than the fit Bottas to hint at an intriguing shootout to set the grid. with qualifying starting at 2pm today on Sky Sports F1.

Lewis Hamilton was third, 0.083 seconds behind the pace of Bottas, who has had the advantage over his Mercedes teammate in a perfect start to his weekend.

Though undefeated and largely unchallenged Mercedes on Saturdays in 2020 now has a fast Red Bull to watch out for.

“There is a tenth in the top three, this is really exciting!” said Jenson Button of Sky F1. “It’s fantastic.”

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Charles Leclerc apologizes for getting in the way of Kimi Raikkonen and says he didn’t know he was on his lap from P3.

Alex Albon was just eighth in the other Red Bull, one second off the pace, as Racing Point’s Lance Stroll emerged as the closest challenger to the top three, now F1 regulars.

Stroll was 0.5 seconds behind Bottas in fourth, just ahead of man of the moment Pierre Gasly at AlphaTauri, with Sergio Perez, who has a one-place grid penalty, also in the top six.

Charles Leclerc was an encouraging seventh for Ferrari, although his teammate Sebastian Vettel had a miserable hour, ranking 18th for the team celebrating its 1000th race this weekend.

McLaren will also be disappointed, with Carlos Sainz (12th) and Lando Norris (19th) trailing behind, while Daniil Kvyat and Romain Grosjean were surprise inclusions in the top 10.

George Russell completely missed qualifying simulations due to a cable brake failure on his Williams.