13:15
Verstappen
Verstappen has improved to a 1m30.763s, 0.4s ahead of Sainz. An impressive lap on the C3 tyre for the Red Bull driver.
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
13:14
Verstappen goes 0.3s quicker
Max Verstappen (NLD) Red Bull Racing. Formula 1 Testing, Sakhir, Bahrain,…
13:03
Lap times with three hours to go
12:58
Alonso into the top five
Alonso breaks into the top five now, 0.6s off Verstappen's benchmark.
12:50
Verstappen takes to the top
A 1m31.058s for Verstappen to move 0.189s clear of Sainz.
12:48
Current top 10
Sainz, Perez, Leclerc, Hamilton, Stroll, Norris, Verstappen, Albon, Magnussen and Ocon.
12:43
Testing shots
Oscar Piastri (AUS) McLaren MCL38. Formula 1 Testing, Sakhir, Bahrain, Day…
12:40
Leclerc into third
Just four-tenths off teammate Sainz for Leclerc.
12:40
Improvement from Verstappen
The Red Bull driver has found another couple of tenths to move up to sixth. He's now 1.003s off Sainz.
Leclerc is also pushing out there, only 0.1s down on Sainz across the first sector time split.
12:31
Verstappen
The three-time world champion is out there now and puts his Red Bull straight into seventh, 1.422s off Sainz.
12:25
Russell & Tsunoda
Russell slots into 12th on the C3 tyre, 3.6s off Sainz's time from earlier. Tsunoda is also on the move for RB, slotting into 13th on the timesheets.
Still yet to see Verstappen and Zhou.
12:23
Leclerc's first time of the day
Leclerc sets a 1m33.632s as his first time of the afternoon - 2.3s shy of teammate Sainz's benchmark.
12:22
Current order
Sainz, Perez, Hamilton, Stroll, Norris, Albon, Magnussen, Ocon, Bottas, Alonso, Ricciardo, Hulkenberg and Piastri.
Hulkenberg is currently on a race simulation, with his latest time a 1m37.328s on the C1 hard tyre.
12:19
Alonso takes to the track
After taking over from Stroll, Alonso is in the Aston Martin for the remainder of the day.
He's currently on a longer run.
11:59
One car on track
McLaren's Oscar Piastri the only driver currently on track.
Most teams are in the process of changing drivers for the next part of the day.
11:58
Netflix caught Hamilton-Wolff private conversation
The following conversation took place last year.
“Last year [2022], the development of the car,” Wolff said to Hamilton. “You weren’t happy with me?
“Sticking to the concept, holding onto it because of the encouraging results at the end…”
Hamilton interrupted: “That was the biggest failure.”
Wolff agreed: “It was the biggest failure.”
Hamilton: “Because last year led us in the wrong… you know…”
Wolff said: “For me, personally, when you see the step that Aston Martin made over the winter… if we get it right with the concept of the car - the aero and the balance - we can win a championship.
“But I don’t want to wait until 2026 when we have the new engine regulations.”
Hamilton then dropped a clue which may have hinted at what was to come.
Hamilton, then aged 38, told Wolff: “You can be here for 20 more years, 30 more years. I can’t!”
Wolff: “Who says that?”
Hamilton said: “Precious years for me. I don’t know…”
Wolff: “Lewis, you are much more than a racing driver. Much more than a seven-time world champion. You are one of the people who leads this team forward.”
11:40
Lewis Hamilton is finished for the day
The Mercedes driver is done for the day.
Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc and George Russell will drive this afternoon.
Remember, no lunch break today due to the drain cover issue earlier.
11:08
Problem at McLaren
Clutch issue being investigated by McLaren.
Lando Norris has done the fewest laps of any driver today.
11:02
Lap times so far
10:45
Hamilton running different configurations
Mercedes have reportedly changed the position of the front suspension's rear leg wishbone today on Lewis Hamilton's W15.
Yesterday he ran with it in a different position.
Hamilton has tested both configurations to work out the better option.
10:19
Hamilton set-up change?
Mercedes have got Lewis Hamilton's car up on the jacks.
They could be making a set-up change for the rest of his day.
Lewis Hamilton (GBR) Mercedes AMG F1 W15. Formula 1 Testing, Sakhir,…
09:57
Lap times with just over six hours to go
- Sainz - Ferrari - 1m31.247s - C3
- Perez - Red Bull - 1m31.483s - C3
- Hamilton - Mercedes - 1m31.999s - C3
- Stroll - Aston Martin - 1m32.038s - C3
- Norris - McLaren - 1m32.108s - C3
- Albon - Williams - 1m32.583s - C3
- Magnussen - Haas - 1m33.053s - C3
- Bottas - Sauber - 1m33.528s - C3
- Ocon - Alpine - 1m33.612s - C3
- Ricciardo - RB - 1m37.912 - C3
09:38
Perez finds more time
Perez's lowers his own benchmark to a 1m31.483s. He was on course to match Sainz's top time but lost out in the final sector.
09:25
Current times
- Sainz - Ferrari - 1m31.247s - C3
- Perez - Red Bull - 1m31.647s - C3
- Hamilton - Mercedes - 1m31.999s - C3
- Stroll - Aston Martin - 1m32.038s - C3
- Norris - McLaren - 1m32.108s - C3
- Albon - Williams - 1m32.734s - C3
- Magnussen - Haas - 1m33.053s - C3
- Bottas - Sauber - 1m33.528s - C3
- Ocon - Alpine - 1m33.965s - C3
- Ricciardo - RB - 1m38.044 - C3
09:20
The improvements keep on coming
Stroll moves ahead of Norris for fourth, just under 0.8s shy of Sainz's 1m31.247s benchmark.
Albon into sixth in the Williams, 1.4s off.
