Max Verstappen threatens in Red Bull 'kangaroo' as Mercedes Baku dominance ends

Max Verstappen took the fight to Mercedes by topping third practice ahead of this weekend's Azerbaijan Grand Prix, setting up a battle for Baku pole. 

George Russell had been quickest in first and second practice but had to settle for P2 behind Verstappen, whose 1m 43.922s could not be toppled by the Briton.

In third was Lewis Hamilton who was also just one-tenth adrift of Verstappen, despite the Ferrari driver having lost some time during the qualifying simulations for car changes. 

Championship leader Kimi Antonelli settled for fourth as he continued to ease into the event, following all the disruption he experienced on Thursday.

Long runs the initial focus

As is always the case with a third practice session, it was a slow start to Friday morning in Baku, with only a couple of cars having featured on track in the opening 10 minutes.

The session was an important one for the drivers, as overnight repairs had taken place at Turn 7, following complaints across first and second practice on Thursday.

Once the entire field had made their way onto the circuit, there was a real mix of run plans, with the Ferraris having immediately started on the soft compound, compared to the Red Bulls and Mercedes' on the mediums.

Halfway through the session, it was not the Ferraris on top despite having the soft tyres, with Kimi Antonelli on the mediums having sat first on a 1m45.046. However, it was the two red cars in second and third.

One driver who was not enjoying himself was Lance Stroll, who clipped the wall on the inside of the first corner and was immediately instructed by Aston Martin to pull off the track, ending his running at the 30-minute mark.

Shortly after, George Russell, with 27 minutes remaining, went quickest, before the field started to pit to signify an end to the long runs and the start of the final qualifying simulations.

Max Verstappen had a frustrating first half of FP3, again struggling with the Red Bull's ride, complaining: "If for once this **** car would not jump like a kangaroo!"

Final qualifying simulations before Q1

As the qualifying simulations got underway, it was Russell who continued his dominant weekend by setting a 1m44.177s, a staggering six-tenths clear of Antonelli's first soft-tyre lap.

Brake adjustments and a bargeboard change cost Lewis Hamilton valuable minutes, while Russell found another tenth of a second on his second push lap. Antonelli also improved to go 0.252s adrift of his team-mate.

Concerningly, Verstappen's initial soft-tyre push lap was one second slower than Russell's, but in a boost for Red Bull, his second lap put him into P2 and just over one-tenth down on the Mercedes with 10 minutes remaining.

Charles Leclerc, with eight minutes on the clock, ended his first soft-tyre hot lap, although he was five-tenths behind, while the McLarens were just under one second slower than Russell.

As the Monegasque ended his lap, Hamilton finally exited the pit lane following changes to his SF-26. A theme across the session was gusts of wind causing lock-ups, with Russell and Antonelli both having had near-misses.

With three minutes remaining, Hamilton finally completed his first qualifying simulation but was eight-tenths behind Russell in fifth.

But it was all eyes on Verstappen, as the four-time world champion went to the top of the timesheets on his final hot lap, even without a tow along the 2.2-kilometre straight, posting a 1m43.922s.

He ended the session fastest as both Mercedes pitted. Hamilton also improved to go third and one-tenth adrift. Russell was second, with Antonelli and Leclerc in fourth and fifth.