Verstappen tops final practice at Spa as Red Bulls dominate

Max Verstappen posted the fastest time in the third and final practice session for the Belgian Grand Prix on Saturday ahead of Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez.

The Dutch driver was 0.947sec quicker than Perez, the Red Bulls followed by Mercedes world champion Lewis Hamilton who was over a second adrift.

Verstappen, eight points behind Hamilton in the world championship, was showing no ill effects from his smash at the end of Friday’s second session.

The session was held in tricky, cool conditions, starting with wet weather before drying out only for the rain to return.

The forecast is changeable with rain a distinct possibility both in qualifying later from 1300GMT and in Sunday’s race.

Belgian Grand Prix third practice times

Max Verstappen (NED/Red Bull-Honda) 1:56.924, Sergio Perez (MEX/Red Bull-Honda) 1:57.871, Lewis Hamilton (GBR/Mercedes) 1:57.996 , Lando Norris (GBR/McLaren-Mercedes) 1:58.509, Esteban Ocon (FRA/Alpine-Renault) 1:58.913, Lance Stroll (CAN/Aston Martin-Mercedes) 1:59.205, Pierre Gasly (FRA/AlphaTauri-Honda) 1:59.324, Sebastian Vettel (GER/Aston Martin-Mercedes) 1:59.436, George Russell (GBR/Williams-Mercedes) 1:59.492, Fernando Alonso (ESP/Alpine-Renault) 1:59.613, Valtteri Bottas (FIN/Mercedes) 1:59.808, Nicholas Latifi (CAN/Williams-Mercedes) 1:59.981, Daniel Ricciardo (AUS/McLaren-Mercedes) 2:00.456, Carlos Sainz Jr (ESP/Ferrari) 2:00.749, Mick Schumacher (GER/Haas-Ferrari) 2:01.269, Charles Leclerc (MON/Ferrari) 2:01.370, Yuki Tsunoda (JPN/AlphaTauri-Honda) 2:01.510, Antonio Giovinazzi (ITA/Alfa Romeo-Ferrari) 2:01.512, Nikita Mazepin (RUS/Haas-Ferrari) 2:01.792, Kimi Raikkonen (FIN/Alfa Romeo-Ferrari) 2:04.382