MONACO (AP) — Red Bull driver Max Verstappen has posted the fastest time in the third and final practice for the Monaco Grand Prix.
The Formula One championship contender led the Ferraris of Carlos Sainz Jr. and local favorite Charles Leclerc, with defending champion Lewis Hamilton only seventh fastest for Mercedes. His teammate Valtteri Bottas was fourth ahead of Red Bull’s Sergio Perez and McLaren’s Lando Norris in sixth.
Hamilton leads the championship by 14 points from Verstappen after four races, with Bottas already some distance behind them in third overall.
The 36-year-old Hamilton is bidding for a record-extending 101st pole and 99th race win. The 23-year-old Verstappen seeks a fifth career pole and 12th win.
An eventful third practice session was twice interrupted for crashes.
There was about 15 minutes left when Nicholas Latifi hit the barriers and mangled the front right wheel of his Williams. Then, with moments to go, Mick Schumacher crashed his Haas car and there was not enough time to restart.