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Formula 1
Portuguese GP
F1 Portuguese GP Live Commentary and Updates - FP3 & Qualifying
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Ah, but what is this? Lap deleted for Hamilton due to track limits at Turn 1. That briefly promotes Sainz to top spot, before Bottas goes one better with a 1m19.205s.
Sainz improves on his second flier to a 1m19.308s, but is comfortably beaten by Hamilton, who is the first man into the 1m18s bracket on a 1m18.726s.
Into that tiny gap between Sainz and Verstappen now squeezes Bottas - just 0.008s slower than the Ferrari!
Verstappen puts in his first time, and it's only good enough for second - just 0.010s behind Sainz. Good lap that from the Spaniard.
Gasly now demotes Norris to P3, punching in a 1m19.895, which is enough to slot him into second behind Sainz.
McLaren so far appears to be the only team that has bolted on a set of mediums, with the rest all using the red-walled soft tyre.
Norris fires in a 1m19.918s to go top but he is now eclipsed by the Ferrari of Sainz by 0.438s.
Norris is the first man out of the pits for McLaren, followed immediately by the Ferraris of Sainz and Leclerc, with his team-mate Ricciardo also not hanging around.
Green light, Q3 is underway.
Just over a minute now until go-time, the drivers mostly strapped in their cars waiting to leave the garage.
The other Monteiro fact we rather enjoy is that he completed the most kilometres of anybody in 2005 - helped somewhat admittedly by being in that select club of starters in the Bridgestone-only US GP.
He tallied a whopping 2293km, comparing favourably to team-mate Narain Karthikeyan's 1967km. For reference, the closest to matching him was Barrichello on 2044km.
He tallied a whopping 2293km, comparing favourably to team-mate Narain Karthikeyan's 1967km. For reference, the closest to matching him was Barrichello on 2044km.
We hear from Luke Smith that Mercedes had to change a gearbox sensor on Bottas's car ahead of qualifying, but his W12 will be ready "in plenty of time". Still, not the kind of preparation the Finn would have been hoping for.
We couldn't not visit Portugal without offering a quick Tiago Monteiro fact before the session got underway - so here goes nothing. Did you know, Portugal's only F1 podium-finisher (the 2005 US GP, if you'd somehow forgotten) spent precisely 80 laps that year occupying a position in the points?
72 of those were in the aforementioned Indianapolis race in which only six cars started, while the remainder came in a wet-dry Belgian GP, where Monteiro scored the Jordan team's last-ever point in P8.
72 of those were in the aforementioned Indianapolis race in which only six cars started, while the remainder came in a wet-dry Belgian GP, where Monteiro scored the Jordan team's last-ever point in P8.
Just under 10 minutes to go now. Feeling nervous?
Sun
Air temperatures are 17.7 °C, with track temperatures of 36.8 °C.
For those interested in the weather, there's a 0% chance of rain interrupting the session.
There's a bit more than usual at stake for Hamilton today though. Should he repeat his effort last year, he would become the first F1 driver ever to rack up 100 pole positions. For the record, his closest challenger in the all-time stakes Michael Schumacher has 'only' 68 poles. Then it's Ayrton Senna on 65, and Sebastian Vettel on 57.
Yet it's Hamilton who is the only man on the grid with a Portuguese GP pole position to his name (F1's last visit prior to F1 was in 1996, when your humble scribe had just turned two). In last year's all-conquering Mercedes W11, he pipped Bottas by 0.102s to snag pole.
For those keeping track, Verstappen does lead the unofficial free practice world championship, having topped his fifth session of the year in FP3 earlier on. The Red Bull ace has been fastest in each of the FP3 sessions so far this year, and also swept Friday's pair of sessions in Bahrain.
Valtteri Bottas, quickest in both Friday sessions at Imola, was also fastest in FP1 yesterday, Lewis Hamilton has only topped one practice session so far, yesterday's FP2.
Valtteri Bottas, quickest in both Friday sessions at Imola, was also fastest in FP1 yesterday, Lewis Hamilton has only topped one practice session so far, yesterday's FP2.
We're set for another thrilling qualifying session today, with the scores currently 1-1 between Red Bull and Mercedes this year. Intriguingly, neither of the two pole-sitters so far this year have yet been able to convert their pole advantage - Max Verstappen losing out to Lewis Hamilton in Bahrain, before the tables were turned last time out at Imola.
Just over 20 minutes to go now until Q1 gets underway at the Algarve International Circuit, the second time F1 has been to the track likened to many with a rollercoaster - including the charming German journalist who asked Sebastian Vettel on Thursday whether he was fond of 'coasters.
Boa tarde! Good afternoon everybody and welcome to Autosport's live coverage as we build up to qualifying for the Portuguese GP, beginning at 15:00 BST.
That's all from us for now, but we'll be back just before 3pm ahead of Qualifying!
Rain
Spots of rain from the marshall posts, according to the Mercedes engineers.
So, with FP3 over, Verstappen leads from Hamilton and Bottas, with Perez in fourth, Ocon in fifth and Leclerc in sixth.
Checkered flag
There goes the checkered flag.
Mazepin takes a trip into the gravel after spinning at the exit of Turn 8.
The field is looking pretty tight - Leclerc in 6th and Giovinazzi in 13th are separated by just four-tenths.
Verstappen currently leads from Hamilton and Bottas, with Perez in fourth and Ocon's Alpine in fifth.
Yellow flag
Brief yellow flag after Lando Norris' McLaren takes a spin in Turn 3.
Both Red Bulls sitting at the top of the time sheet currently, separated by Hamilton. The close fight continues...
Alonso goes third quickest but has his time deleted for - you guessed it - exceeding track limits at Turn 1.
Fair few track times being deleted again at Portimao - Mazepin and Vettel for exceeding track limits and Turn 1 and another one for Mazepin at Turn 4.
Stopwatch
Verstappen goes quickest by almost two-tenths with a 1m18.545, setting the quickest last sector.
Small complaint from Max on the radio, asking why Hamilton "backs up so much" when he "has enough space".
Yellow flag
It was a tidy pirouette from Raikkonen which caused the brief yellow flag a few minutes ago.
Stopwatch
Hamilton goes quickest with a 1m18.755, leading from Perez and Leclerc.
Hamilton had his last lap time deleted for track limits.
Stopwatch
Verstappen sets a 1m19.141, putting him second fastest.
By: Megan White, Haydn Cobb, James Newbold, Tom Howard
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