Oscar Piastri — P3.
Lando Norris — P4.
Both McLarens are right up there with the fastest cars, and suddenly things are looking much more promising heading into qualifying. Oscar has continued to improve session after session, while Lando has made an impressive recovery after missing FP2 because of his gearbox problem. So, are McLaren now genuine contenders for pole? Here's my On the Pitwall Papaya Boys FP3 reaction!
Oscar Piastri — P3!
Let's start with Oscar.
P3 in FP3!
This is exactly what I wanted to see. Just look at his progression throughout the weekend:
FP1 — P8
FP2 — P7
FP3 — P3 🧡
Every session, Oscar has moved forward and this time, it wasn't just a small improvement. He's gone from sitting around P7 and P8 to being right in the fight at the front. Oscar finished only 0.189 seconds behind Kimi Antonelli's fastest time. Less than two tenths! That's much more like it from McLaren.
Can Oscar Fight for Pole?
After FP2, I would've said getting into the top five was the target. Now? I'm thinking bigger. Can Oscar actually challenge for pole? I think he can. Antonelli still looks incredibly quick, and Charles Leclerc is right there too but Oscar is close enough that one brilliant qualifying lap could put him right into the fight. If McLaren can find even a tiny bit more performance before qualifying, Oscar could be dangerous.
Lando Norris — P4!
And then we've got Lando.
P4!
I think this is a really important result considering what happened to him on Friday. Lando missed basically the whole of FP2 because McLaren had to change his gearbox. At a brand-new circuit, that's a huge amount of valuable track time to lose. Going into FP3, the priority was simple. Get laps. Get comfortable. Build confidence. Then start finding the speed and Lando did exactly that.
What a Recovery From Lando
Lando finished only 0.236 seconds behind Antonelli. That's just over two tenths away from the fastest time. Considering how much running he lost in FP2, that's a really encouraging result. Lando needed FP3 to get himself back into the weekend. Now he's done it. He's right behind Oscar. He's right behind Leclerc and he's close enough to Antonelli to potentially challenge when qualifying begins. Suddenly, that gearbox problem doesn't feel quite as damaging as it did on Friday.
Oscar vs Lando
And now we've got another Papaya battle developing.
Oscar — P3 🧡
Lando — P4 🧡
There's very little between them. Oscar has completed more laps around Madring after Lando missed FP2 but Lando has immediately managed to get himself back onto Oscar's pace. That's going to make qualifying really interesting. Which Papaya boy comes out on top? Oscar has been steadily improving throughout the weekend. Lando has produced an impressive comeback. I genuinely think this one could go either way.
Look at McLaren's Progress
The difference between Friday and Saturday is huge.
In FP1:
Lando — P6
Oscar — P8
Then FP2:
Oscar — P7
Lando — No time
And now FP3:
Oscar — P3
Lando — P4
That's serious progress. Whatever McLaren worked on overnight seems to have helped. The car looks more competitive. Both drivers look more comfortable and most importantly…The gap to the front has come down.
Mercedes Are Still the Team to Beat
We can't get too carried away just yet. Kimi Antonelli was still fastest. Mercedes have looked strong throughout the Madrid weekend. Antonelli topped FP2 and then followed it up by topping FP3. So if the Papaya boys want pole, they're going to have to earn it but after FP3? I think we've got every reason to believe McLaren can fight for it.
Ferrari Are in the Fight Too
Then we've got Charles Leclerc in P2. He's sitting directly between Antonelli and Oscar. That means we've potentially got Mercedes, Ferrari and McLaren fighting for pole and Max Verstappen isn't far behind either. Qualifying could come down to one perfect lap. One tiny mistake could be the difference between pole position and starting several places further back.
Have My Papaya Boys Predictions Changed?
YES! After FP2, I was becoming more cautious. Oscar was P7. Lando hadn't completed a lap. Mercedes looked incredibly strong. FP3 has completely changed the picture. Oscar is P3. Lando is P4 and both McLarens are within roughly two tenths of the fastest time. I'm putting both Papaya boys firmly back into the conversation for the front two rows.
Can a McLaren Take Pole?
This is the big question. Can Lando or Oscar actually take pole? I think it's possible. Antonelli is probably still the favourite based on what we've seen throughout the weekend but the gaps are tiny. Oscar is less than two tenths away. Lando is just over two tenths away. That's absolutely close enough. One brilliant lap from either Papaya boy could do it.
My Papaya Boys Qualifying Predictions
After everything we've seen in FP3, here's what I'm predicting. For Oscar: P3 He's got the pace to put himself on the second row. For Lando? I'm going to be ambitious. After seeing him recover from missing FP2 and immediately get himself back into the fight… Lando Norris — P2 and if McLaren find just a little bit more performance? Maybe we're talking about pole.
What I Want to See in Qualifying
For both Papaya boys, the most important thing is putting together clean laps. Madring has already shown how unforgiving it can be. We've seen crashes. We've seen red flags. We've seen just how close the walls are and when qualifying begins, everyone is going to start pushing even harder. So Lando and Oscar need to keep things clean. Get through Q1. Get through Q2 and then when Q3 arrives…SEND IT. Because if FP3 is anything to go by, McLaren have a genuine opportunity.
On the Pitwall Verdict
This was exactly the FP3 session McLaren needed.
🧡 Oscar Piastri — P3
🧡 Lando Norris — P4
Oscar continues his brilliant progression throughout the weekend. Lando produces the recovery we needed after missing FP2 and suddenly, McLaren are right back in the fight. Mercedes are still incredibly quick. Ferrari are dangerous. Max Verstappen is lurking but the Papaya boys? They're right there. Now there's only one question… Can Lando or Oscar put a McLaren on pole? Who do you think will qualify higher? Lando or Oscar? Can either Papaya boy take pole? and where do you think both McLarens will start? Let me know your predictions!
Lights out. More to talk about.
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