Free 3: Heidfeld and BMW in the game

After a day of Friday less rich than usual in lessons, following the rainy conditions of the first session, the drivers set off quickly during this third session for the installation laps. The first to achieve lap times are the Force India drivers. Giancarlo Fisichella then Adrian Sutil are at the top of the list, lowering the reference mark in turn. Lewis Hamilton is the first to go below 1?47??, improving in the next round (1?46??588). Meanwhile, Sebastian Buemi and Jaime Alguersuari are at the forefront by settling into the Top 5.

Halfway through the session, the hierarchy displays an unprecedented ranking with, behind Hamilton, Trulli, Kovalainen, Buemi, Glock, Sutil, Alguersuari and Fisichella. Heikki Kovalainen (McLaren) took advantage of the lull on the track to improve by erasing his teammate's time (1:46??500). Adrian Sutil (Force India) then returned to first position (1), then improving by almost half a second (46). His time keeps the rest of the paddock in check, while Mark Webber, returning to his pit without having set any reference time, is chomping at the bit.

At the end of the session, Romain Grosjean distinguished himself, setting the third time in the field (1:46??281), before improving to gain a position (1:45??878), ahead of a rediscovered Robert Kubica by five thousandths. After the countdown ends, several drivers try their luck to set a time. Nick Heidfeld, following in the footsteps of Robert Kubica, proves that BMW, despite its disappearance from the paddocks at the end of the year, has not given up. The German driver took the best time (1:45:388), seeing Jarno Trulli follow him closely (1:45:462). Before the qualifying session, which takes place from 14 p.m., the hierarchy of this third session offers a verdict that is surprising for the moment. But the BMWs, with Heidfeld first and Kubica sixth, have not said their last word this season.