Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc set the fastest lap time on the final morning of Formula 1’s preseason test, with the top three drivers were split by 0.132 seconds around the Bahrain International Circuit.
Leclerc’s 1:30.811 beat Mercedes rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli to the fastest time by 0.077 seconds, while McLaren’s Lando Norris was third fastest.
All three drivers will hand their cars over to their teammates for the afternoon session, meaning Friday morning represented their last laps in their cars ahead of the first practice session at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix.
Leclerc’s time was 0.463 seconds off the fastest time of the test set by Carlos Sainz’s Williams on Thursday and 0.380 seconds off his own best effort from Thursday.
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Max Verstappen, who was back in the Red Bull for the final day of testing, was 0.398 seconds off Leclerc’s fastest time. On Thursday when Liam Lawson behind the wheel, Red Bull’s performance looked a step behind McLaren, Ferrari and Mercedes, but it’s not unusual for teams to disguise their true pace in testing.
The morning session was red flagged in the final hour when glass from the start-finish gantry on the pit straight smashed and landed on the side of the track. Track running stopped for just over ten minutes as marshals swept away the shards.
The afternoon session will see eight teams switch drivers over lunch, while Red Bull will continue with Verstappen for the whole day and Williams will continue with Alex Albon.
There were questions over whether Lance Stroll would participate in the final day after feeling unwell in the morning, but Aston Martin has since confirmed he will take over from Fernando Alonso in the afternoon.
Morning session lap times
Charles Leclerc – Ferrari – 1:30.811 – 66 laps
Kimi Antonelli – Mercedes – 1:30.888 – 61 laps
Lando Norris – McLaren- 1:30.943 – 57 laps
Max Verstappen – Red Bull – 1:31.209 – 47 laps
Jack Doohan – Alpine – 1:31.239 – 61 laps
Alex Albon – Williams – 1:31.444 – 58 laps
Isack Hadjar – Racing Bulls – 1:31.761 – 73 laps
Fernando Alonso – Aston Martin – 1:32.084 – 49 laps
Gabriel Bortoleto – Sauber – 1:32.147 – 35 laps
Oliver Bearman – Haas – 1:32.361 – 59 laps.
Source: espn.com