Malaysian Grand Prix 2017: Raikkonen goes fastest in FP3 as Verstappen and Palmer collide
KIMI RAIKKONEN set the fastest time in the final practice session of the Malaysian Grand Prix as Jolyon Palmer and Max Verstappen collided on the track.
Palmer and Verstappen collide in the Malaysian Grand Prix
A battle between Sebastien Vettel and the Finn saw the Ferraris dominate on the track ahead of today’s qualifying.
But it’s Raikkonen who’ll go into qualifying with the fastest lap after recording a time of 1:31.880 with Vettell coming home in 1:32.042.
Daniel Ricciardo set the third fastest time of FP3, while Championship leader Lewis Hamilton had to settle for fifth.
Hamilton made a mistake at the final corner on his qualifying simulation, running deep into the hairpin and failing to improve on his earlier time.
Malaysia Grand Prix: Kimi Raikkonen finished fastest in FP3
A lively final practice session saw the yellow flag introduced several times with Palmer and Roman Grosjean both coming off the track.
Palmer caused controversy too when he dived down the inside of the final corner in an off-track excursion before locking up and hitting Verstappen.
The impact broke Palmer’s front wing with Verstappen suffering a puncture that saw both drivers summoned to the stewards over the incident.
The session ended in worrying circumstances for Ferrari as a technical issue saw Vettel forced to crawl back to the pits in second gear on his final run.
Full rundown of FP3 results
1. Kimi Raikkonen (Finland) Ferrari 1:31.880
2. Sebastian Vettel (Germany) Ferrari 1:32.042
3. Daniel Ricciardo (Australia) Red Bull - TAG Heuer 1:32.091
4. Valtteri Bottas (Finland) Mercedes 1:32.329
5. Lewis Hamilton (Britain) Mercedes 1:32.539 6.
Max Verstappen (Netherlands) Red Bull - TAG Heuer 1:32.579
7. Sergio Perez (Mexico) Force India - Mercedes 1:33.209
8. Felipe Massa (Brazil) Williams-Mercedes 1:33.240
9. Esteban Ocon (France) Force India - Mercedes 1:33.290
10. Stoffel Vandoorne (Belgium) McLaren 1:33.321
11. Fernando Alonso (Spain) McLaren 1:33.530
12. Lance Stroll (Canada) Williams-Mercedes 1:33.538
13. Kevin Magnussen (Denmark) Haas - Ferrari 1:33.787
14. Nico Huelkenberg (Germany) Renault 1:33.871
15. Carlos Sainz Jr (Spain) Toro Rosso - Renault 1:33.924
16. Pierre Gasly (France) Toro Rosso - Renault 1:34.206
17. Jolyon Palmer (Britain) Renault 1:34.475
18. Romain Grosjean (France) Haas - Ferrari 1:34.914 1
9. Marcus Ericsson (Sweden) Sauber - Ferrari 1:34.936
20. Pascal Wehrlein (Germany) Sauber - Ferrari 1:35.045