In a fascinating finish to pre-season testing, Charles Leclerc stole the spotlight on Friday morning at the Bahrain International Circuit by posting the fastest lap with a time of 1:30.811. However, this impressive feat still fell 1.5 seconds short of Ferrari’s best testing time, as drivers battled through warmer temperatures and strong winds that posed challenges for everyone on this final day.
The session was far from routine, filled with unexpected interruptions that kept the pit lane buzzing with activity. Over at Haas, Ollie Bearman’s car experienced a bodywork failure, leaving debris scattered on the track and leading to a brief yellow flag. Thanks to quick work from the team, Bearman got back on track and managed to complete his pre-Australian Grand Prix program.
As the clock ticked down to just under an hour remaining, chaos ensued when a glass panel fell from a nearby gantry, shattering across the pit straight. This incident triggered a red flag, halting the action for about 10 minutes as marshals cleared the track.
No sooner did the green lights come back on than Andrea Kimi Antonelli and Fernando Alonso were eager to resume. But excitement quickly turned to another interruption caused by a stray course vehicle, bringing out yet another red flag. Once the track was cleared, Leclerc maintained his position at the top of the leaderboard, completing his stint with seven others as the teams prepared for a driver swap at lunchtime.
Mercedes hopeful Antonelli secured the second spot, while McLaren’s Lando Norris clinched third place.
Following in fourth was Max Verstappen, who was set to continue testing for Red Bull in the afternoon. Jack Doohan wrapped up the morning in fifth place, leading the Williams of Alex Albon, with Isack Hadjar’s Racing Bulls and Alonso trailing behind. Alonso was expected to make way for Lance Stroll in the afternoon, health permitting, after Stroll felt unwell overnight.
Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto clocked the fewest laps due to several issues in the garage, finishing in ninth, while Bearman rounded out the field.
Everyone will be back on track post-lunch for the final session of testing, running from 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM local time.
| Pos. | Driver | Team | Best time | Gap | Laps |
|——|——–|——|———–|—–|——|
| 1 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1’30.811 | – | 66 |
| 2 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | 1’30.888 | 0.077 | 61 |
| 3 | Lando Norris | McLaren | 1’30.943 | 0.132 | 57 |
| 4 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | 1’31.209 | 0.398 | 47 |
| 5 | Jack Doohan | Alpine | 1’31.239 | 0.428 | 61 |
| 6 | Alexander Albon | Williams | 1’31.444 | 0.633 | 58 |
| 7 | Isack Hadjar | Racing Bulls | 1’31.761 | 0.950 | 73 |
| 8 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | 1’32.084 | 1.273 | 49 |
| 9 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Sauber | 1’32.147 | 1.336 | 35 |
| 10 | Oliver Bearman | Haas | 1’32.361 | 1.550 | 59 |
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