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Formula 1 Turkish GP

F1 Turkish Grand Prix Live Commentary and Updates - FP3 & Qualifying

Saturday's F1 Turkish GP action from Istanbul Park

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB16B

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Stopwatch
Norris improves to go P2 but can't displace former team-mate Sainz at the top.
Still no sign of the Mercedes, Red Bull, Alpine or Williams drivers, but everyone else has been out on track at least once so far.
Norris wants top spot back as he is the first driver to switch to the intermediate tyres. It looks really wet but it also looks like there's loads of grip available, if that makes sense.
Stopwatch
Sainz, set to take a back of the gird penalty for a power unit change this weekend, goes top with a 1m37.608s on the wet tyres as Ferrari team-mate Leclerc enjoys some drifting around Turn 7.
Stopwatch
A total of 10 cars are on the track now so things should start to dry up fairly quickly. Norris leads the early efforts with a 1m38.395s - 15s off the best times from Friday in the dry.
Quote
"The rears are gone. Too hot," reports Gasly, starting his third lap on these tyres. Is the switch to inters closer than expected?
The AlphaTauri experiment has convinced McLaren duo Norris and Ricciardo to join in the fun. So after seven minutes of silence, the track is set to get busy.
Sun
Even the sun is starting to break through the clouds now, it is basically high summer, as the AlphaTauri pair continue for a second lap.
Right on cue, Pierre Gasly and Yuki Tsunoda make their entrace. Both are out on track for an exploratory out-lap on the full wet tyres.
Rain

Budding weather reporter and full time Grand Prix editor Alex Kalinauckas says at Turn 3 it is "barely spitting". Hopefully the rest of the rain will relent and we get some track action soon.

Hamilton isn't alone in the (lack of) run plan for final practice. No early takers to the track yet, but Norris is at least in his McLaren and ready to go.
Lights green
As Lewis Hamilton strolls towards his Mercedes garage the green light is shown for the start of FP3. Don't think he's in a massive rush to get going.

Small bit of housekeeping before the start of the session, two small bump kerbs have been installed at the exit of Turn 1 - the yellow baguette-shaped ones. That'll keep drivers in check regarding those pesky track limit rules.

All drivers have been given an extra set of intermediate tyres for FP3 given the conditions, but it looks like full wets will be the order of the morning.
 

What does that mean for FP3? Usually these conditions don’t tempt much running given the risk of crashing heavily a few hours before qualifying. But, given qualifying looks set to be damp to mildly moist, drivers will be keen to get a feel for conditions.

After yesterday's relatively trouble-free running, aside from a few spins when testing the limits of grip, today will pose a whole different challenge to the F1 drivers in conditions familiar to last year's Turkish GP - very wet.
Rain
Good morning from a soggy Istanbul Park circuit, final practice for the Turkish GP is 10 minutes away from getting underway.

By: Autosport Staff

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