Leclerc quickest in rain-soaked 3rd practice for German GP

HOCKENHEIM, Germany (AP) — Charles Leclerc led a rain-soaked final practice session at the German Grand Prix ahead of qualifying later Saturday.

The 20-year-old from Monaco was about 0.4 seconds quicker than his Sauber teammate Marcus Ericsson. Only nine cars set times on a drenched Hockenheim track, with most leading drivers preferring to wait for qualifying.

Formula One championship leader Sebastian Vettel went out briefly toward the end, with heavy rain bouncing off his Ferrari, and was fourth behind the Williams car of Russian driver Sergey Sirotkin.

Defending champion Lewis Hamilton and his Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas did not set times. Neither did Red Bull pair Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen, the quickest drivers in first and second practice on a sunny Friday.

Frenchman Pierre Gasly span his Toro Rosso car in treacherous conditions.