Perez fastest in final practice for Belgian GP

A lap as the chequered flag waved saw Sergio Perez end Free Practice 3 for the Formula 1 Belgian Grand Prix fastest.

The Mexican headed a Red Bull one-two over Max Verstappen by 0.1s, with Carlos Sainz third for Ferrari but 0.7s down on the ultimate pace.

Conditions were improved from those seen on Free Practice 2 on Friday with the circuit dry but air temperatures low as the session began.

A mix of tyre compounds was in use, Esteban Ocon and Lando Norris out on the hards, while the two Aston Martins and Pierre Gasly headed out on the mediums.

The most popular choice was the soft compound tyre, Alex Albon using it to go fastest early on with a 1:50.050s.

Guanyu Zhou went fastest with a 1:47.795s, the early focus clearly on race pace with times more than two seconds off what those set on Friday afternoon.

It was a slow start to the session for the two Ferraris and Kevin Magnussen, with the trio remaining in the garage.

Only after 25 minutes did Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz head out for the first time.

The pair quickly rose to the top of the timesheets, Sainz with a 1:46.461s ahead of Leclerc on a 1:46.890s.

They were soon split by Albon, who recorded a 1:46.836s.

It was then Perez who went fastest, the Red Bull driver lapping the Spa-Francorchamps circuit in 1:45.972s, a time still 0.4s slower than his team-mate managed on Friday.

Verstappen then went fastest in the other Red Bull, logging a 1:45.480s.

Lando Norris improved to second fastest with a 1:45.965s, bumped back a spot by Sainz seconds after with a 1:45.824s with 14 minutes remaining.

Soon after, officials noted Verstappen for failing to slow for yellow flags earlier in the session.

That transgression related to an off for Gasly at Blanchimont, 36 minutes into the proceedings, though it was subsequently announced no further investigation was warranted.

With nine minutes remaining, Leclerc had a spin entering Fagnes chicane, skating through the gravel and lightly bumping the tyre barrier.

Race control immediately threw the red flag, only for the Ferrari driver to extricate himself and drive back to the pits with little more than a damaged front wing.

The session restarted with four minutes to run with all but Mick Schumacher heading out – the German’s session interrupted with a sensor issue in the Haas.

As the chequered flag waved, Verstappen improved his best to set a 1:45.184s, but ended up second behind Perez on a 1:45.047s.

Sainz was third fastest ahead of Norris, then Fernando Alonso, George Russell, Leclerc, Sebastian Vettel, Esteban Ocon, and Gasly to round out the top 10.

Qualifying follows, commencing at midnight AEST.

Results: Formula 1 Belgian Grand Prix, Free Practice 3