Overview

• Oscar Piastri set the fastest time in FP3 with a 1:14.916 lap, narrowly beating teammate Lando Norris by 0.032 seconds to reclaim practice top spot.
• Lando Norris led Friday’s FP1 and FP2 sessions by 0.019s and 0.291s respectively, though both he and Piastri narrowly avoided crashes during FP2 qualifying simulations.
• Piastri’s practice performance consolidates his 16-point championship lead over Norris, reinforcing McLaren’s bid to end a 17-year drivers’ title drought.
• Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc was best of the rest in FP3, finishing 0.399 seconds off Piastri’s pace, with Lewis Hamilton another 0.369 seconds adrift of his teammate.
• Rivals faced setbacks as Max Verstappen described his RB21 as “undriveable” and Fernando Alonso returned later in the weekend after sitting out FP1 with a back injury.