German GP Practice Three: Mercedes relegated behind Ferrari, Red Bull

Ferrari and Red Bull outpaced Mercedes in final practice for the German GP in a surprise timesheet ahead of qualifying, despite cooler weather arriving at Hockenheim.

The impressive Charles Leclerc, the fastest man in the oppressive heat of Friday, led the way again in P3, this time from Max Verstappen by 0.168s with a best lap of 1:12.380.

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Both Mercedes drivers finished half a second off the pace and were unusually split on the timesheet by Haas' Kevin Magnussen.

Despite expectations that a drop in temperatures of around 10 degrees compared to Friday would play into Mercedes' hands, Valtteri Bottas was fourth and Lewis Hamilton sixth.

"I think we could be in for an epic weekend here because Mercedes are struggling, Leclerc is on absolute fire out there, in great form and driving brilliantly," said Sky F1's Nico Rosberg.

"This qualifying is going to be very exciting and tomorrow we're in for thunderstorms. I don't think Mercedes know themselves why they're struggling. They will get closer, but it seems that Ferrari are on for pole."

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Leclerc would seem favourite to deliver any Ferrari pole, with the 21-year-old finishing Saturday morning nearly three tenths ahead of team-mate Sebastian Vettel, who slipped behind Verstappen and into third.

Hamilton did post a late lap time which was briefly good enough for fourth, but the effort was swiftly deleted with stewards clamping down on drivers running wide off the track at the final corner. A number of drivers, including Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen, suffered the same fate.

The world champions also made set-up and bodywork changes to their W10 through the session, but they did not immediately translate to a breakthrough on the timesheet.

Haas also suprise in tightly-packed field
Haas' wildly fluctuating form has proved one of F1 2019's biggest mysteries and an additional case study was provided in P3, as Magnussen vaulted up to fifth - ahead of one Mercedes and one Red Bull.

Magnussen, running the latest-specification Haas car here, was 0.4s up on team-mate Romain Grosjean in the original-season spec.

McLaren have been more consistent top-10 runners recently and Carlos Sainz finished this session in seventh place, just ahead of Pierre Gasly who made a steady if not stellar return to the track for the first time since his big Friday afternoon crash.

Red Bull changed the car's survival cell overnight and Gasly's target for qualifying when it begins at 2pm BST will be to close down what was a 0.8s deficit to Verstappen here.

Gasly will certainly hope to move clear of what looks set to be an intense scrap for the final Q3 positions after just three tenths covered seventh through 16th positions in final practice.

Sky Sports F1's German GP schedule

Saturday, July 27
1pm: German GP Qualifying build-up
2pm: GERMAN GP QUALIFYING (Simulcast on Sky Sports Main Event)
4.30pm: The F1 Show (Simulcast on Sky Sports Main Event)
7.30pm: IndyCar Mid-Ohio Qualifying

Sunday, July 28
11.20am: Porsche Supercup
12.30pm: German GP: Pit Lane Live (Simulcast on Sky Sports Main Event)
1.30pm: German GP: On The Grid (Simulcast on Sky Sports Main Event)
2.10pm: THE GERMAN GRAND PRIX LIVE! (Simulcast on Sky Sports Main Event)
4pm: German GP Paddock Live (Simulcast on Sky Sports Main Event)
5pm: German GP: The Notebook (Simulcast on Sky Sports Main Event)
5.30pm: German GP Highlights (Simulcast on Sky One)
6.30pm: German GP Race Replay
8.30pm: IndyCar Mid-Ohio Race

Watch the German GP live only on Sky Sports this weekend. Find out more here to watch the 2019 season live