F1 Azerbaijan GP FP3 Results Max Verstappen set the fastest lap in the final practice session. The Red Bull driver recorded a lap time of 1:43.922 at the Baku City Circuit, pipping Mercedes’ George Russell by just 0.099 seconds.
Lewis Hamilton finished third for Ferrari, while Kimi Antonelli was fourth and Charles Leclerc fifth.
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FP3 took place on Friday, September 25 in Baku and gave drivers a chance for final setup and tyre preparation before qualifying. As per the official schedule, qualifying is scheduled after FP3 at 4:00 PM Baku time, which is 5:30 PM IST in India.
Also Read: F1 Azerbaijan GP FP2 Results: George Russell Fastest, Mercedes 1-2 in Baku
F1 Azerbaijan GP FP3 Results: Verstappen Edges Russell by 0.099s
Max Verstappen topped the session with a benchmark of 1:43.922. George Russell set a 1:44.021 for Mercedes and was just 0.099s behind Verstappen.
Lewis Hamilton finished third with a 1:44.033, meaning the gap between the top three drivers was just 0.111s. Kimi Antonelli finished fourth with a 1:44.273, and Charles Leclerc fifth with a 1:44.544.
Pierre Gasly secured sixth place for Alpine, while McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris finished seventh and eighth. Isaac Hadjar finished the session in ninth and Franco Colapinto in tenth position.
F1 Azerbaijan GP FP3 Results Full Classification
| Pos. | Driver | Time | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Max Verstappen | 1:43.922 | — |
| 2 | George Russell | 1:44.021 | +0.099s |
| 3 | Lewis Hamilton | 1:44.033 | +0.111s |
| 4 | Kimi Antonelli | 1:44.273 | +0.351s |
| 5 | Charles Leclerc | 1:44.544 | +0.622s |
| 6 | Pierre Gasly | 1:44.637 | +0.715s |
| 7 | Oscar Piastri | 1:44.746 | +0.824s |
| 8 | Lando Norris | 1:44.899 | +0.977s |
| 9 | Isack Hadjar | 1:45.176 | +1.254s |
| 10 | Franco Colapinto | 1:45.592 | +1.670s |
| 11 | Carlos Sainz | 1:45.605 | +1.683s |
| 12 | Oliver Bearman | 1:45.692 | +1.770s |
| 13 | Gabriel Bortoleto | 1:45.854 | +1.932s |
| 14 | Esteban Ocon | 1:45.918 | +1.996s |
| 15 | Nico Hulkenberg | 1:45.998 | +2.076s |
| 16 | Sergio Perez | 1:46.004 | +2.082s |
| 17 | Alex Albon | 1:46.076 | +2.154s |
| 18 | Liam Lawson | 1:46.222 | +2.300s |
| 19 | Arvid Lindblad | 1:46.271 | +2.349s |
| 20 | Fernando Alonso | 1:46.512 | +2.590s |
| 21 | Valtteri Bottas | 1:48.587 | +4.665s |
| 22 | Lance Stroll | 1:49.279 | +5.357s |
Mercedes Remains Strong as Russell Finishes Second
George Russell had another strong session in Baku after topping FP1 and FP2 on Thursday. Mercedes had dominated the opening day, with Russell finishing FP2 ahead of teammate Kimi Antonelli. The FIA’s report confirmed that Russell’s FP2 time of 1:43.347 was 0.552s faster than Antonelli.
However, Verstappen turned the tables in FP3 by setting the quickest time. Russell remained extremely close, with less than a tenth separating the Mercedes driver from the Red Bull.
Antonelli, meanwhile, finished fourth after Mercedes had changed his power unit following the hydraulic issue that affected his FP1 session.
Also Read: F1 Azerbaijan GP FP1 Results: George Russell Fastest, Antonelli Faces Issue
Hamilton P3 as Ferrari Shows Strong Pace
Lewis Hamilton produced Ferrari’s strongest FP3 result with third place. His 1:44.033 lap was just 0.111s away from Verstappen’s benchmark.
Charles Leclerc finished fifth, giving Ferrari two cars inside the top five. The close gaps at the front suggest that qualifying could be tightly contested around Baku’s high-speed street circuit.
McLaren Drivers Finish Outside Top Six
McLaren had both drivers inside the top 10, but neither could match the outright pace of Verstappen, Mercedes and Ferrari.
Oscar Piastri finished seventh with a 1:44.746, while Lando Norris was eighth with a 1:44.899. The pair were separated by just 0.153s.
Norris had finished sixth in FP2 as McLaren continued to evaluate its upgrade package in Baku.
What Next After F1 Azerbaijan GP FP3?
With FP3 now complete, attention turns to F1 Azerbaijan GP Qualifying. The qualifying session is scheduled for 5:30 PM IST on Friday, September 25. The Azerbaijan Grand Prix itself will take place on Saturday, September 26, with the race scheduled to start at 3:00 PM IST.
The short gaps at the front meant the battle for pole position could be closely contested, with Verstappen, Russell, Hamilton, Antonelli and Leclerc all finishing within 0.622s of the fastest FP3 time.
F1 Azerbaijan GP FP3 Results: Auto India Daily Verdict
Max Verstappen heads into qualifying with the fastest time from final practice, but the margins remain extremely small. Russell’s 0.099s gap and Hamilton’s 0.111s deficit show just how close the leading cars were in FP3.
Mercedes had been the benchmark through Thursday, while Verstappen’s FP3 performance puts Red Bull firmly into the qualifying picture. Ferrari also remains within striking distance, with Hamilton and Leclerc both inside the top five.
With qualifying still to come, the FP3 result gives a clear indication that the front of the grid could be tightly packed around Baku’s demanding street circuit.
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Raj Prajapati is a Senior Automotive Content Writer at AutoIndiaDaily. A B.Tech graduate in Computer Science and Engineering, he leverages over four years of experience covering Indian car and bike launches, EV tech, and market dynamics to break down complex automotive regulations into simple consumer guides. Specialising in Indian motor vehicle laws, IRDAI updates, and ownership costs, Raj translates technical auto policies into actionable advice for everyday drivers.