Japanese GP P3: Mercedes back on top as Suzuka rain disappears

Rosberg sets the pace from Hamilton as world champions return to the top after Singapore struggle; Ferrari form uncertain after ending one second behind rivals

By James Galloway at Suzuka

Tuesday 29 September 2015 10:50, UK

Mercedes returned to the top of the F1 timesheet, with Nico Rosberg ahead of Lewis Hamilton, as teams attempted to make up for time lost on Friday in an unusually frenetic final practice session at the Japanese GP.

Rain throughout the opening day had effectively rendered Practice One and Two meaningless for teams given the forecast for the weekend was for dry and warm weather.

Those forecasts proved accurate on Saturday morning and prompted probably the busiest P3 session of the whole season. Cars were even queuing to get out of the Suzuka pits before the green light, desperate to complete as many short and longer runs as possible to hone their set-ups ahead of qualifying.

Red Bull set the early pace as they appeared to complete their qualifying simulations earlier, but world champions Mercedes ended the hour back at the head of the pile for the first time since Practice One in Singapore.

It was Rosberg who set the fastest time with his lap of 1:33.995 nearly three-tenths of a second quicker than team-mate and championship leader Hamilton. Both drivers spent time in the garage while Mercedes completed set-up changes after their first runs, but the Briton's car also had changes around its sidepod.

Singapore victors Ferrari, meanwhile, wound up a second back on their rivals with Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel only sixth and eighth fastest respectively. While Vettel's best lap was compromised by Daniil Kvyat, it remains to be seen whether the Scuderia focused more on race pace or if their form from last weekend hasn't transferred to the very different challenge of Suzuka.

"Don't write off Ferrari, but it looks far more like Monza than Singapore for Mercedes at this stage," Sky Sports F1's Anthony Davidson suggested.

In the words of Martin Brundle, standing trackside at the fast flowing circuit, Daniel Ricciardo was "driving like a man possessed" as the Australian wound up third fastest, just half a second back on Mercedes.

Williams, who are confident of their own return to form this weekend, were fourth and fifth with Valtteri Bottas and Felipe Massa respectively ahead of the Ferraris.

Max Verstappen (seventh) and Carlos Sainz (10th) were both in the top 10 for Toro Rosso, whereas Kvyat's Red Bull finished down in 14th after a ragged session in which he badly blistered his front-right tyre and ran off the road at the second Degner corner.

Jenson Button was a relatively promising 12th for McLaren at Honda's home race, but the Briton missed the closing stages of the session with yet another problem on his MP4-30 car. Fernando Alonso was just 16th after he was one of many drivers to run wide at Spoon curve.

Practice Three timesheet:

1. Nico Rosberg, Mercedes, 1:33.995

2. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes, 1:34.292

3. Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull, 1:34.497

4. Valtteri Bottas, Williams, 1:34.797

5. Felipe Massa, Williams, 1:34.934

6. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari, 1:35.082

7. Max Verstappen, Toro Rosso, 1:35.160

8. Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari, 1:35.222

9. Romain Grosjean, Lotus, 1:35.602

10. Carlos Sainz, Toro Rosso, 1:35.963

11. Nico Hulkenberg, Force India, 1:36.110