F1, Silverstone: Charles Leclerc sends a clear message to Ferrari rivals

After making a good overall impression in Friday’s two timed sessions at Silverstone, Charles Leclerc tries to shift gears on Saturday, setting the fastest time in the third free practice session of the British Grand Prix. 1:25.498 was the Monegasque’s time, thus sending a message to Ferrari’s rivals.

In second position, at the end of a session conditioned in the finale by two red flags, first for debris left on the track by Ollie Bearman (Haas) and then for an off-track by Gabriel Bortoleto, there’s the World Championship leader, McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, who set a best time 68 thousandths slower than Leclerc.

Below a tenth gap also Max Verstappen (Red Bull), whose best time is worse than that of the Monegasque by just 87 thousandths. Completing the Top 5 are the other McLaren of Lando Norris (+0.108) and the second Red Bull of Yuki Tsunoda (+0.606). Sixth place, despite problems in the finish, for Bearman (+0.614), followed by George Russell (Mercedes, +0.627), Isack Hadjar (Alpine, +0.631) and Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls, +0.758).

Somewhat unlucky Lewis Hamilton, who ended the session at the wheel of his Ferrari with the 11th best time (+0.834) but was forced to abort a good attempt due to the red flag for Bearman debris on the track. Fourteenth position instead for Kimi Antonelli on the second Mercedes: it is 924 thousandths the gap of the Italian from Leclerc.