Dutch GP: Sargeant crash in FP3 leads to written off final practice

For the record, Alpine’s Pierre Gasly topped Saturday’s final practice at Zandvoort, a session interrupted after 15 minutes by a massive crash by Williams’ Logan Sargeant.

Conditions were treacherous and similar to Friday’s FP1, with rainfall leaving teams to deal with a wet track at the outset of the session.

Unfortunately, repairing the heavy damage inflicted to the barrier by Sargeant’s crash was a lengthy process that left teams with less that two minutes of track time and only a flying lap to spare.

• Dutch Grand Prix Free Practice 3 - Results

Emergency rain attire was once again in force for the fans lining Zandvoort’s circuit at the start of FP3, while the full wet rubber was the obvious tyre of choice for those who opted to head out on the track.

There were few takers however, with Haas’ Nico Hulkenberg the first to brave the conditions, the German driver eventually followed by teammate Kevin Magnussen and Sauber’s Valtteri Bottas.

McLaren’s Oscar Piastri was the boldest of the early runners as the Aussie opted to test the waters with a set of inters.

Unfortunately, like yesterday, Hulkenberg suffered an off-track excursion, but less consequential, although the VF-24’s front wing was comprehensively destroyed against the barriers at Turn 12.

Replays showed it was another brake issue for the Hulk, as he locked up into the corner and was powerless to stop has car drifting into the armco.

As more drivers joined the action, there was more slipping and sliding. But Williams’ Logan Sargeant took it one step further, the American excessively riding the kerb on the exit of the banked Turn 4 corner before losing control, spinning and smashing into the barrier on the opposite side of the track.

Fortunately, Sargeant emerged unscathed from the crash but the right side of the FW46 was thoroughly damaged, to the point where it appeared unlikely that its driver would be seen in action again during the day.

A lengthy red flag predictably ensued to allow the track workers to evacuate the stranded Williams, rid the track of a significant field of debris and repair the damaged barrier.

The latter was a painstakingly slow but necessary process that lasted for the better part of 40 minutes, leaving just a short two minutes of track time when the lights went green.

The field nevertheless felt that there was some value in sneaking in a final flying lap.

For the record, Alpine’s Pierre Gasly topped the timing sheet, the Frenchman putting just five laps on the board. Magnussen and Bottas completed the top-three.