Charles Leclerc stuns Lewis Hamilton as Ferrari arrive: Singapore GP FP3 Results

Singapore GP

Leclerc stuns Hamilton as Ferrari arrive: Singapore GP FP3 Results

A three-way fight for pole?

Matthew Scott

Saturday 21 September 2019 13:00 Updated: 13:07

Charles Leclerc made huge gains from Friday to lead FP3 at the Singapore Grand Prix and put Ferrari in the hunt for pole position at the Marina Bay Circuit.

Leclerc had ended Friday 1.3 seconds off the pace of Lewis Hamilton, but led the championship leader by two tenths in Saturday's early session.

Leclerc has found an extra two seconds overnight, although Hamilton's pole time 12 months ago was another two seconds quicker, ensuring qualifying is no foregone conclusion just yet.

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Ferrari had been expected to drop back into the pack after Leclerc's victories in Belgium and Italy, but Sebastian Vettel was third-quickest, six tenths off Leclerc, to suggest that Ferrari's pace is genuine.

Hamilton will have more time to find, having toured Marina Bay a couple of times before setting his flying lap, having spun on his exit from the pits and finding traffic.

Toro Rosso and Racing Point have concerns after the session. Daniil Kvyat will take a penalty-free engine change for qualifying after an oil leak, while Sergio Perez's Racing Point needs repairs after shedding carbon fibre in a hit against the way at Turn 21 that brought out red flags.

That curtailed Max Verstappen's first flying effort and the Dutchman struggled to get going again upon the resumption and was 1.2 seconds off Leclerc at the chequered flag, having looked like Hamilton's nearest challenger on Friday.

Singapore GP FP3 results

1. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) 1:38.192
2. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) 1:38.399
3. Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari) 1:38.811
4. Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes) 1:38.885
5. Alexander Albon (Red Bull) 1:39.258
6. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) 1:39.366
7. Carlos Sainz (McLaren) 1:39.507
8. Lando Norris (McLaren) 1:39.709
9. Nico Hulkenberg (Renault) 1:40.118
10. Daniel Ricciardo (Renault) 1:40.153
11. Lance Stroll (Racing Point) 1:40.209
12. Pierre Gasly (Toro Rosso) 1:40.339
13. Kimi Raikkonen (Alfa Romeo) 1:40.953
14. Sergio Perez (Racing Point) 1:40.985
15. George Russell (Williams) 1:41.156
16. Antonio Giovinazzi (Alfa Romeo) 1:41.169
17. Kevin Magnussen (Haas) 1:41.494
18. Romain Grosjean (Haas) 1:41.542
19. Robert Kubica (Williams) 1:41.954
20. Daniil Kvyat (Toro Rosso) NO TIME