Fernando Alonso (ESP) Aston Martin F1 Team AMR24 - start procedure systems check at the end of the test. Formula 1
Fernando Alonso (ESP) Aston Martin F1 Team AMR24 - start procedure systems…

2024 F1 Bahrain pre-season testing: Day 3 as it happened

A recap of everything that happened on the third and final day of F1 pre-season testing in Bahrain.

23 Feb 2024
16:38
Over and out

The end of pre-season testing means it is time to say farewell, for now. Thank you for joining us and we hope you have enjoyed our live coverage over the past three days. 

Make sure to come back next week as we keep you updated with all the action from the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix. And don't forget, it's a Saturday race! 

16:32
Report from day three

Check out our report from the final day of action in Bahrain.

Charles Leclerc (FRA), Scuderia Ferrari Formula 1 Testing, Sakhir, Bahrain, Day Three.- www.xpbimages.com, EMail:
Charles Leclerc (FRA), Scuderia Ferrari Formula 1 Testing, Sakhir,…
16:17
Day three results

Here's how things ended up on the third and final day of testing, with Leclerc quickest...

Lap times at the end of Day 3
Lap times at the end of Day 3
16:11
Testing is over for 2024

The chequered flag is out and that marks the end of three days of pre-season testing in Bahrain. 

15:58
Zhou goes third before Safety Car test

Zhou, also on C4s, has just popped up into third for Sauber, three-tenths off the pace. 

He got his lap finished just before the Safety Car test began, which has seen a run through of the Virtual Safety Car, full Safety Car, and Red Flag procedures. 

Everyone is back in the pits now with 12 minutes left on the clock. 

15:54
P2 for Russell

Russell, on a set of C4 soft tyres, goes second-fastest and just a whisker behind Leclerc. 

He's found an awful lot of performance there to get within 0.046s of the best time. 

Good lap from Russell. Will we see any more late runs on the softs? 

15:41
Albon up to fifth

Albon, with a set of C4 soft tyres attached to his Williams, goes fifth with a personal best that leaves him 0.662s off Leclerc's benchmark. 

15:40
Tsunoda and Russell improve but stay put

Both Tsunoda and Russell have recently improved their lap times with new personal bests, but they remain third and fourth respectively. 

15:38
Gasly loses part of his car

Gasly has just lost what appears to be a part of his wheel brow.

It broke off the front right of his Alpine and flew onto the track, before being swiftly cleared by a fast marshal under a brief yellow flag. 

Alpine mechanics are currently inspecting Gasly's car back in the garage. 

15:27
Tsunoda and Russell make moves

Are we finally starting to see teams unleash some pace?

Tsunoda, running C4 tyres, has just popped his RB into third, 0.513s off Leclerc. 

Russell slots his Mercedes into fourth, a further tenth behind on C3s.

Meanwhile, there's also a personal best from Albon, who goes P8 in his Williams. 

15:19
An encouraging sign for Mercedes?

Russell recently pulled off an overtake on Leclerc on the run into Turn 1, which prompted Sky F1 pundit Anthony Davidson to note: "The interesting thing there is that he wasn't using DRS to get that overtake done. 

"I feel like it was a bit of a weakness for Mercedes last year, the car being a bit on the draggy side.

"Sometimes you saw them running with DRS active and they still weren't quite able to get the overtake done. He had the speed, so I think that's a bit of a change from last year." 

15:15
Tsunoda jumps up the order

Tsunoda, with fresh C3 tyres strapped to his RB, has just shot up to sixth in the timesheets.

He is the notable recent improvement, with Russell also moving into the top 10 with a personal best a little earlier.  

15:12
All smiles at Red Bull
Max Verstappen (NLD) Red Bull Racing. Formula 1 Testing, Sakhir, Bahrain, Day Three. - www.xpbimages.com, EMail:
Max Verstappen (NLD) Red Bull Racing. Formula 1 Testing, Sakhir, Bahrain,…
15:03
Into the final hour

We are into the final hour of running for F1 2024 pre-season testing in Bahrain. 

Will anyone go for a late glory run and show their hand under the lights, or will everyone keep us guessing until next weekend?

14:53
Hamilton opens up on Ferrari 'dream'

Hamilton spoke publicly for the first time about his blockbuster Ferrari switch earlier today as he faced the media in the FIA press conference. 

The seven-time world champion said he felt the time was right to write "a new chapter" in his illustrious F1 career and admitted to his desire to emulate the great Michael Schumacher's success in famous Ferrari red. 

You can read his full comments here

Lewis Hamilton (GBR) Mercedes AMG F1 in the FIA Press Conference. Formula 1 Testing, Sakhir, Bahrain, Day Three.-
Lewis Hamilton (GBR) Mercedes AMG F1 in the FIA Press Conference. Formula…
14:46
Long runs the focus

Long runs are the current focus with Leclerc, Verstappen, Piastri, Alonso and Hulkenberg all racking up the laps. 

Verstappen is on the hardest tyre compound as he starts a new long run - complete with flow-vis paint on his Red Bull RB20. 

The only driver not focusing on race pace is Zhou, who has just set his best lap of the day to move off the bottom and up one place to 18th. 

14:38
Pit stop practice down at Williams
Alexander Albon (THA) Williams Racing practices a pit stop. Formula 1 Testing, Sakhir, Bahrain, Day Three.-
Alexander Albon (THA) Williams Racing practices a pit stop. Formula 1…
14:31
Verstappen returns to the pits

Verstappen has now pitted after completing a 17-lap stint on the medium tyres.

Piastri, Alonso, Hulkenberg, Albon and Zhou are the only drivers circulating at the moment. 

14:18
Verstappen on a long run

The reigning world champion is out pounding in the laps on a long run. He's 12 laps into his current stint. 

14:09
Piastri finding time

Piastri is out there making moves as he finds further improvement in his McLaren. 

A 1m31.030s puts his third, shuffling Alonso down to P4, and 0.708s off Leclerc's best time. 

14:04
13:56
Some late improvements

A 1m30.322s for Leclerc now as he extends his advantage over Verstappen, while Alonso slots into third.

13:44
Leclerc

Leclerc has another effort on the C4s this time (his previous best was on the C5s).

He sets a 1m30.498s, less than a tenth off his time from earlier.

13:33
Leclerc goes clear

Leclerc storms to the top of the timesheets with a 1m30.409s, to move 0.3s ahead of Verstappen.