United States of America Grand Prix 2021, Free 3: The outsiders Pérez (Red Bull) and Sainz (Ferrari) in front

The outsiders ahead of the favorites? Not so fast. Of course, Free Practice 3 of the United States of America Grand Prix put Sergio Pérez and Carlos Sainz in the lead on Saturday, but this result should be put into perspective. Timed in 1’34 “701, the Mexican from Red Bull continued on the momentum of his best lap signed in free practice 2 on Friday at the Circuit of the Americas, driving 0” 104 faster than the Spaniard from Ferrari.

For that, he of course respected the limits of the track on which the race direction is uncompromising this weekend. But we can not help but point out that his teammate Max Verstappen, author of the third time, at 0 “211, and Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes), finally sixth at 0” 518, seemed faster, and will approach the qualification in potential polemen. Because it took nothing, a passage beyond the white line in turn n ° 19 for the Dutchman and in n ° 9 for the Briton, for their times not to be validated. Without his gap, Max Verstappen would have had the last word in 1’34 “383, and the seven-time world champion the second time, in 1’34” 458.

Gasly eighth

On the other hand, the lesson that can be learned from the runs of the Red Bull and Mercedes drivers is the different technical paths that the two title contenders have taken. Max Verstappen focused his settings on sectors 1 and 3 while Lewis Hamilton focused his set up on sector 2, based on the best split times they achieved in these sections.

Credited Friday with the second time in free practice 2, Lando Norris (McLaren) remains in contact with his fourth fastest time, at 0 “244, just ahead of Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes), who spun off in his first attempt. LH44 sixth for the reasons explained, Daniel Ricciardo (McLaren) is ahead of Pierre Gasly (AlphaTauri), eighth, while Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) and Esteban Ocon (Alpine) would have been the last two participants of a Q3.

Sebastian Vettel (Aston Martin), eleventh, opens the second part of the standings but we know he will be penalized with a start from the back of the grid, like his next George Russell (Williams) and Fernando Alonso (Alpine), seventeenth . Finally, only Yuki Tsunoda (AlphaTauri) is not at the level we expected, with his eighteenth time ahead of the Haas still in the same order, Mick Schumacher ahead of Nikita Mazepin.