MONACO — Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel posted the fastest time in the third and final practice session of the Monaco Grand Prix on Saturday, finishing ahead of Mercedes pair Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton on Formula One’s demanding street circuit.
Vettel, who won the Malaysian GP earlier in the season, left it late for a best lap of 1 minute, 16.143 seconds as drivers tested out the new and quicker supersoft tires ahead of qualifying later Saturday.
Rosberg clocked 1:16.361 and Hamilton’s best was 1:16.705.
Hamilton complained on race radio moments after the session that there was "something not right with the car," which will give Vettel further encouragement as he seeks his first pole position of the season. Hamilton took the first four and Rosberg the last pole at the Spanish GP two weeks ago, which Rosberg went on to win.
The 3.34-kilometre (2.07-mile) Monaco track is the shortest in F1 and also the slowest, with a succession of tight, sinewy turns and claustrophobic barriers making the street circuit the toughest to overtake on.
As a result, nine of the past 10 races here have been won from pole. The only exception was when Hamilton won from third in 2008 — the year he clinched the first of his two F1 titles.
After a rain-hit practice on Thursday, the sun came back out to warm fans crowded around the picturesque principality’s glittering harbour.
More privileged spectators had a free view while drinking champagne on their luxury yachts as they took in the atmosphere at F1’s unique race, which sees drivers go past the famous Monte Carlo casino and some of the most expensive real estate in the world.
The practice session was interrupted midway through when Kimi Raikkonen went too wide on a turn and the left rear wheel of his Ferrari clipped a barrier.
The 17-year-old driver Max Verstappen also had some problems as the rear of his Toro Rosso hit a barrier on the final turn.
