F1 Eifel GP Live Updates - final practice and qualifying
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In case you missed it, here's the story from LUKE SMITH: 
Good afternoon, hope you had a pleasant lunch break. There's been a fair bit going on in the paddock as we build towards Eifel GP qualifying, not least the return of Nico Hulkenberg at Racing Point being officially confirmed. Have we been here before?
We'll take this opportunity for a short breather before getting ready for qualifying at the Nurburgring which looks set to spring a few surprises - if only to find out who is in the sister Racing Point next to Perez.
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Racing Point won't be the only team in a rush during the lunch break before qualifying given that was the sole practice session of the weekend. All that data to chew through before qualifying which starts at 15:00 local time (14:00 BST).
That's practice done and dusted at the Nurburgring. 19 drivers have completed 60 minutes of practice, after Friday’s washout, with Stroll out of action due to illness. All eyes will be on Racing Point and whether it will be Stroll or sub Hulkenberg in action for qualifying.
Checkered flag
And that's the end of the session. Still a few laps to be completed but Bottas looks safe at the top ahead of Hamilton with Leclerc in third place.
Stopwatch
Ah, the timing screen has a familiar sight to it once again, as Mercedes has a 1-2 with one minute to go. Hamilton's 1m26.361s puts him P2.
Stopwatch
Leclerc goes second fastest! The Ferrari driver puts in a 1m26.681s to go four-tenths off Bottas. Double good news for Ferrari as Vettel moves into fourth place with a 1m27.038s.
Panic over as Latifi carefully backs up his car and gives himself enough space to get going again.
Yellow flag
We have another spinner, this time Latifi at the final corner. The double waved yellows are out as the Williams driver attempts to get his car facing the right way again but as a result comes face to face with the inside pitwall.
Stopwatch
Hulkenberg distractions aside, Norris has surged up to third place in this session with a 1m27.167s in his McLaren.
Here's the developing story on an unwell Stroll and the possible return of super sub Hulkenberg: 
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HULKENBERG WATCH: He's just parked up at the circuit, as revealed on his Instagram. He's on his way in if required to stand-in for Stroll if he is too unwell to race this weekend.
Hamilton lights up the timing screen with fastest mini sector times, but gets it wrong at Turn 14, cutting the chicane, and backs out of the lap meaning he stays P3.
Stopwatch
The Russian GP winner is now fastest in this session as Bottas dips into the 1m26s to edge out just over one-tenth of a second on Verstappen.
Stopwatch
Hamilton, on his timed lap on the softs, goes second fastest with a 1m27.189s - just over one-tenth off Verstappen.
Stopwatch
Bottas, avoiding the Turn 4 peril, goes up to second place with a 1m27.228s with his first timed lap on the softs.
A few drivers are being pinged for track limits at Turn 4 - Albon and Perez the latest to fall foul - which means a number of lap times are being deleted.
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Stopwatch
Verstappen returns to the top of the times with a 1m27.071s, with all drivers now on the soft tyres for qualifying-style runs.
Yellow flag
Russell asks for a little too much room on the exit of Turn 14, as he dips two wheels on the grass and spins off into the wet greenery. All OK for the Williams driver as he avoids the barrier and can return to the track.
Stopwatch
Meanwhile Norris goes brave coming out of the final corner as he skims over the grass and dirt but keeps it pinned to produce a 1m27.631s to go fastest.
Radio Comms
"It's a beautiful track mate," Grosjean tells his Haas team. Hopefully he can provide a bit more detail on the Nurburgring later on, but it is a good start to his track review.
Stopwatch
Ocon goes fastest with a 1m27.634s - he's on the soft tyres.
That DAS comment from Hamilton could be in relation to his Turn 1 lock-up, caught by the TV replays, with the Mercedes driver running wide and on to the run-off zone.
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Radio Comms
"We need to talk about DAS too," Hamilton says over his Mercedes team radio.
The practice start zone at the end of pitlane is getting plenty of action, as the cold conditions will provide an extra edge for the tyres for tomorrow's race start. Hamilton is the latest to practice a start - this time in the correct position unlike his Russian GP exploits.
Safe to assume the Mercedes pair are clocking up the laps and race data, as Bottas already has 13 laps to his name and Hamilton has 15 laps - the most of any driver in the session so far. The Finn is currently P8 on the times with his team-mate P11.
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Tricky couple of minutes for Vettel as he loses a lap for exceeding track limits at Turn 4. The Ferrari driver is currently P19 (last place) in this session and well off the pace.
Yellow flag
Vettel has spun coming out of Turn 14 but avoids any serious issues and gets going again in his Ferrari.
Stopwatch
Not for long though, as Ocon goes P2 for Renault with a 1m28.912s. Perez also improves to regain third place ahead of Albon.
Perez, currently flying solo for Racing Point, is the closest challenger to the Red Bull 1-2 on the timing screen. The Mexican, who has also missed races this year for illness after he tested positive for COVID-19, is third and three-tenths off Verstappen.
Ah, as Racing Point have just confirmed, Stroll is unwell and will not take part in FP3 this morning.
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Still no sign of Lance Stroll, the only driver yet to head out in the session, which given the lack of running on Friday is certainly a concern for Racing Point.
Ocon has a lap time deleted for exceeding track limits at Turn 13, while Verstappen goes faster with a 1m28.866s to extend his advantage at the top.
Stopwatch
The early moment at Turn 4 doesn't hold back Verstappen for long as he goes top of the times with his next lap of 1m30.576s on the medium tyre.
By: Jake Boxall-Legge
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