SPIELBERG, Austria — Sebastian Vettel showed Ferrari’s pace once again by posting the fastest time in the third and final practice session of the Austrian Grand Prix, as driving rain soaked the track ahead of qualifying later Saturday.
The four-time Formula One champion clocked a best lap of 1 minute, 9.994 seconds, continuing his form from Friday afternoon when he was fastest in second practice.
Vettel was 0.017 seconds quicker than championship leader Lewis Hamilton, who is bidding to win his fifth race of the season, and 0.183 ahead of Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen — who has placed third in every practice.
Hamilton’s Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg was fifth behind the Force India of Mexican driver Sergio Perez.
Fernando Alonso’s struggles with McLaren continued as he pulled up into the pit lane midway through the final practice session, prompting a red flag. His gearbox was changed to be ready for qualifying.
After Alonso pulled up, the session was held up for a few minutes, as the rain continued to hammer down on the Red Bull Ring track nestled in the green foothills of Austria’s Styria region.
With most drivers on their faster supersoft tires, the decision to come straight back into the garage was an easy one.
"Caution, caution, very slippery, very wet," Mercedes told Rosberg over race radio.
But with a little under 10 minutes remaining, several came back out to test themselves in the trying conditions.
Vettel went off the track after missing a turn but managed to slow down safely, Raikkonen veered off into the gravel, and Toro Rosso driver Carlos Sainz Jr. braved the elements on full wet tires and span full circle on the soaking track.
Hamilton, meanwhile, stayed safely in the Mercedes garage.
The defending champion will try and make it seven poles in eight races later Saturday. Only Rosberg has beaten him in qualifying, when the German driver took pole at the Spanish GP last month.
