Sébastien Buemi led FP3 for Round 14 at the Berlin E-Prix around Tempelhof in a red flag disrupted session. The NEOM McLaren of Taylor Barnard was in second with the championship leader of Oliver Rowland in third.
After mixed conditions running throughout Saturday, The session start for the final practice session was delayed with rain still coming down around Tempelhof. The conditions proposing a host of problems for the drivers.
The driver filed out onto the soaked track, with every turn under scrutiny and the risk of aquaplaning. Mitch Evans first push lap was 24 seconds off of the times in the dry.
Drugovich went to the top of the timings, a 1:14.607 as the times starting coming down. Wehrlein was fastest in the middle sector as he struggled to keep the car on the track running wide from turn to turn.
Wehrlein went around again, crossing the line with a 1:13.286. With a margin of 1.3 seconds ahead of the rest of the grid. Mortara found some more grip that Wehrlein, crossing the line 0.5 seconds ahead of the German.
The drivers were beginning to find some pace behind them, when the session was red flag as Antonio Felix Da Costa was stopped on the side of the track with the right rear tyre off the car. Da Costa was okay and managed to get out of the car safe with just the car damaged.
If qualifying gets cancelled due to the rain and projected thunderstorms the FP3 standings will be used as the order for the race. It presents an issue for Da Costa who was in 21st as the red flag was waved.
Session Resumed
With the green flag waved, and the session resumed, the grid lined up in the pit lane. Drivers desperate to get back out on track and make the most of the 17 minutes left in the session. The track was wet and the drivers fought for position.
Barnard had a lap time deleted for track limits as he fought with Müller and Frijns. Meanwhile, Müller was on a flying lap with three purple sectors, crossing the line two seconds clear of the rest of the field.
While Da Costa was in the cockpit of the Porsche, desperate to get vital track time. The team were trying to get the Porsche driver out for the final few minutes of the session. However, while Da Costa waiting to get on track, Jake Dennis joined his teammate at the front of the field. Crossing the timing line with a 1:10.734.
Oliver Rowland found form in the wet condition taking the top sport. With a 1:10.329, but it was short-lived as Taylor Barnard broke into the 1:9’s with a 1:09.933.
With under eight minutes to go Lucas di Grassi’s car failed to stop, speeding into the wall with a heavy crash destroying the side of the car. Di Grassi was okay, quickly getting out of the car. But it is not ideal for the Lola driver’s session and hopes for qualifying.
Unfortunately, Race control said that the session won’t have added time, with just five minutes left in the session. Da Costa will end the session in last after a disaster session.
However, with the session not resumed, Buemi led the pack with Taylor Barnard’s McLaren in second and Championship leader, Oliver Rowland, in third.
Full Results:
- S. Buemi
- T. Barnard
- O. Rowland
- N. Müller
- M. Günther
- J. Dennis
- S. Bird
- J. Vergne
- J. Hughes
- S. Vandoorne
- L. Di Grassi
- E. Mortara
- P. Wehrlein
- F. Drugovich
- D. Ticktum
- M. Evans
- N. Cassidy
- S. Sette Câmara
- Z. Maloney
- R. Frijns
- D. Beckmann
- A. Da Costa