#F1 #BarcelonaGP #FP3: @GeorgeRussell63 fastest ahead of @OscarPiastri, @CharlesLeclerc.
George Russell, #63, Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula 1 Team, F1 W17, Free Practice 3, Formula 1 MSC Cruises Gran Premio De Barcelona-Catalunya 2026, Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain. Image credit to Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images. Russell Barcelona GP FP3, 2026 Barcelona GP FP3, F1 Barcelona GP FP3,2026 Formula 1 Barcelona-Catalunya GP Free Practice 3 Results.
Russell Barcelona GP FP3 – Mercedes’ George Russell topped the time-sheets in FP3 at the Barcelona GP ahead of McLaren’s Oscar Piastri who placed second and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc who completed the top three. The other Silver Arrows of Andrea Kimi Antonelli had to abandon two flyers due to traffic and ended up seventh.
Russell on the C4 Pirelli red side-walled softer compounds posted the session-topping benchmark of a 1:15.679 and was 0.214 seconds clear of Piastri whilst Leclerc was a further 0.243 seconds adrift of the Briton.
The two Cadillac’s of Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez were the first to head out on-track with the C4 softs and C3 yellow-marked medium tyres.
Bottas was the first to register the benchmark of a 1:19.998, as his team-mate Perez slots behind him in second with a 1:20.111.
After a quick stop in the pits for a front wing adjustment, the two Cadillac’s re-emerged and Bottas improved to a 1:19.962 whilst Perez did not improve on his next tour.
Audi’s Nico Hulkenberg came out to join the two Cadillac drivers at the 11th minute-mark on a set of the C3 medium compounds.
Bottas returned to the pits with just Perez and Hulkenberg out on circuit.
Hulkenberg went to P1 on an 1:18.477 effort to be 1.485 seconds clear of Bottas.
Both Hulkenberg and Perez returned to the pits at the end of the opening quarter of the session bringing the session to another lull.
Hulkenberg after a front wing adjustment and a practice start returned to the circuit.
Home favourite Carlos Sainz and team-mate Alexander Albon in the FW48 Williams entries joined the German on track.
The two Haas of Oliver Bearman and Esteban Ocon, Aston Martin’s of Fernando Alonso and Audi’s Gabriel Bortoleto also came out on the softs.
Hulkenberg improved on his benchmark at the top posting a 1:18.255 as Albon pushed to second with a 1:19.147.
Bearman with the best middle sector demotes Albon with a 1:18.397 as does Ocon slotting in behind his team-mate with a 1:18.645.
Bortoleto replaces team-mate Hulkenberg at the top with a 1:17.581, but only briefly as reigning world champion Norris with three purple sectors went quickest with a 1:16.609 to be 0.972 clear of the Brazilian.
Sainz moved into fourth place with a 1:18.384.
Leclerc was next and with a purple middle sector and two personal bests jumped to second setting a 1:16.685 flyer.
The majority were on the softer tyres bar Hulkenberg who was running the mediums at this stage of proceedings approaching the half-an-hour mark of the final hour-long session before qualifying.
RB’s Arvid Lindblad was up into third and 0.826 seconds off Norris’s best time with his 1:17.435.
Piastri followed to go third overall and 0.672 off his leading team-mate as the Australian set a 1:17.281.
Alpine’s Pierre Gasly who’s A526 entry underwent a chassis change overnight was up to seventh and only briefly as RB’s Liam Lawson demoted the Frenchman with his 1:17.598.
Verstappen was next and the four-time world champion went third in the order with his 1:16.855.
Mercedes’ Russell went even faster taking top spot on a 1:16.258 to be 0.351 clear of Norris.
Antonelli slotted behind his team-mate Russell in second place with a purple middle sector posting a 1:16.500 to end up 0.242 adrift.
Hamilton on his first flyer went sixth in the classification posting a 1:17.131 to be 0.873 off Russell’s best time.
Leclerc on his next flying lap on the softer rubber remained in fourth and 0.427 seconds down on Russell.
The yellow flags were brought out as Bottas beached it in the gravel trap between turns ten and 11 with the red flags instantly brought out.
Replays showed Bottas going down the gears into the turn 10 left-hander and went straight off into the gravel and spun, beaching his MAC01 entry.
“I lost my brake pedal, the brakes, they are gone. Very lucky there,” the Finn radioed.
After Bottas’ MAC01 was cleared, Piastri lead the pack out on the C4 softs.
Piastri on his hot-lap moved up a place to sixth with his 1:16.958 as Antonelli remained 0.242 off team-mate Russell in second despite two personal bests.
Hamilton was next on his flyer and with a personal best sector two remained in seventh and could not improve.
The majority of the field were in the pits except for Leclerc, Sainz, Hulkenberg, Gasly, Perez and Stroll with 15 minutes remaining.
Hulkenberg with two personal bests and a purple final sector jumped to seventh on a 1:16.961 effort to be 0.703 off Russell’s benchmark.
Russell was next on his flying lap, and the Briton went even quicker on a 1:15.679 to be 0.821 clear of team-mate Antonelli.
Piastri with a purple sector three slotted into second with a 1:15.893 to be 0.214 off Russell.
Norris with the best opening sector took third behind his team-mate Piastri with his 1:15.925 hot-lap.
Hamilton followed with three personal bests to wound up 0.702 off Russell in fourth as Verstappen slotted into fifth place with his 1:16.434.
Bortoleto posted a 1:17.027 to go ninth overall behind Lindblad in the classification.
Championship leader Antonelli was unable to improve on his flyer after encountering traffic on both occasions, first with Stroll and the next tour with the Haas.
“Oh my god, Stroll as always,” said Antonelli, who came up behind the Canadian who was going slowly on the racing line. Then afterwards with the Haas impeding the Mercedes driver.
“Oh my god mate, it is unbelievable, unbelievable. I’m going to box,” he said on the radio. What happened?
Leclerc with three personal bests split the McLaren pairing in third posting a 1:15.922 to end up 0.243 off Russell’s best effort.
Hadjar with three personal bests ended up eighth overall to be over a second down on Russell.
Russell ended the session on top with Piastri second and Leclerc third.
Reigning world champion Norris was fourth and in-front of Hamilton who took fifth and Verstappen who ended FP3 sixth.
Championship leader Antonelli was down in seventh and ahead of Hadjar who finished eighth in the order.
Hulkenberg and Lindblad rounded out the top ten.
You can see the full Formula 1 MSC Cruises Gran Premio De Barcelona-Catalunya 2026 Free Practice 3 Results Classification here: FORMULA 1 MSC CRUISES GRAN PREMIO DE BARCELONA-CATALUNYA 2026 – PRACTICE 3
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