Lewis Hamilton ensured he completed a practice sweep by setting the fastest time in a disrupted third session at the Japanese Grand Prix.
Conditions would deteriorate compared to Friday with a strong wind blowing across Suzuka and then rain showers would interfere around 20 minutes in forcing all driver back to the garage.
Before that, however, the two Ferrari’s would set the initial pace as Kimi Raikkonen led teammate Sebastian Vettel by a tenth after the German had a scruffy first sector.
Lewis Hamilton was on course to beat both drivers by over half a second but had a lock-up into the final chance as the rain increased and also as his car bottomed out from the exit of 130R.
Eventually, the weather, particularly at Spoon curve became too wet for slicks but the strong wind would help to dry the racing line enough and allow them back out for the final 25 mins.
Though Mercedes were the first out, Ferrari went for a fast lap first but both drivers would struggles to set a competitive first sector on the SuperSoft with Raikkonen running off at the end of the Esses in the gusty wind.
Vettel also complained of rear end instability but would improve into the 1m29’s on his second timed lap, Hamilton would beat it on his first qualifying-style lap but only thanks to a rapid first sector as he lost time in S2 and S3 to only be just over a tenth clear.
With the red-striped compound only good for a single push lap, that gap suggests there is very little between the two drivers going into qualifying.
The session would brought to a slightly premature end as Nico Hulkenberg crashed heavily through the Esses with just two minutes to go, putting his participation in qualifying into doubt due to the level of damage done, notably to the rear.
? RED FLAG ?@HulkHulkenberg into the barriers at the S Curves#JapaneseGP ?? #F1 pic.twitter.com/yGh0cOJF3T
— Formula 1 (@F1) October 6, 2018
Looking down the timesheets, Valtteri Bottas struggled to post a clean lap falling to fifth with Max Verstappen ahead for Red Bull and teammate Daniel Ricciardo just behind.
Force India continue to lead the midfield with Esteban Ocon seventh for the third straight session and Sergio Perez eighth.
Hulkenberg’s Renault teammate Carlos Sainz was ninth and Kevin Magnussen rounded out the would-be Q3 order in P10.
Charles Leclerc messed up his first flying lap at Degner 2 and Spoon but the Sauber driver is still a threat in 12th and at the back, Pierre Gasly suffered from inconsistent performance with his Honda engine, leaving the Toro Rosso driver bottom of the timesheets.
The full Practice 3 order can be seen below:
