Sebastian Vettel was fastest in the third and final practice session of the weekend. He managed to lap the Eiffel circuit in 1:30.916 and was in front of Webber, Alonso, Hamilton and Button.

After a brief night the teams were ready for the third free practice on the Nurburgring. Everybody except the Team Lotus car of Heikki Kovalainen looked ready for the 1 hour long practice session. The team dismantled the backside of his car and it looked like he wouldn't make it onto the track immediately. The cars who did make it onto the track were greeted by even colder weather than yesterday. The air temperature dropped to 12 degrees.

After the installation laps it was Jerome d'Ambrosio who set the first full lap. The Belgian driver did a 'slow' 1:46.020. A time he quickly beat himself. Within a few laps most drivers set a time. It was Nick Heidfeld leading with a 1:35.881. He was in front of Rosberg, Kobayashi, Perez and Di Resta. The Red Bulls, Ferraris and McLarens didn't complete a timed lap.

Halfway through the session the top contenders finally started their laps. It was Alonso who did the quickest lap. The Spaniard drove the lap on the Eiffel circuit in 1:33.302. Webber was two tenths behind him. Both were on the harder 'medium' compound. Perez was third but was already on the soft tyres. In the following minutes the McLarens, Mercedes cars and Vettel attempted to move closer to the front. It was Rosberg who was the first of the better cars to fit the softs. He was immediately a second quicker than the fastest time.

In the final minutes others also fitted soft tyres. Sebastian Vettel managed to get the most out of his tyres and was fastest. The German did a 1:30.916. Mark Webber was just behind him. Followed by Alonso, Hamilton and Button.