Lewis Hamilton sets blistering pace in Practice Three, outpacing Max Verstappen by four tenths at Canadian GP for Mercedes | F1 News

Lewis Hamilton showed his dominance in the final practice session leading up to the Canadian Grand Prix, setting a blistering pace that left his rival Max Verstappen trailing by nearly four tenths of a second. Hamilton, a seven-time world champion, seemed confident in Mercedes’ prospects for the race weekend despite a challenging start to the season.

With the latest specification W15 front wing on his Mercedes, Hamilton clocked an impressive lap time of 1:12.549, showcasing his skill and confidence on the track. Verstappen, on the other hand, had to settle for second place after brushing the infamous ‘Wall of Champions’ with his right-rear tire.

The session also saw some drama off the track, as a groundhog made an appearance dangerously close to the racing line, adding an unexpected twist to the proceedings. Meanwhile, Red Bull faced technical issues with Verstappen’s car, forcing them to revert to an older power unit for the remainder of the weekend.

As qualifying approached, Mercedes seemed to have found their stride, with George Russell finishing third in the second Mercedes, followed by Lance Stroll in fourth for Aston Martin. Ferrari, who were expected to be strong contenders, struggled in final practice, with Charles Leclerc finishing 10th.

Despite some setbacks for other drivers like Zhou and Albon, the stage is set for an exciting qualifying session with the threat of rain looming over Montreal. Fans can catch all the action live on Sky Sports F1 and Main Event, with Mercedes looking to challenge Red Bull for pole position.