10:03
Lap time update
This red flag interruption gives us a good chance to catch up on the current order.
Sergio Perez (MEX) Red Bull Racing RB19. Formula 1 Testing, Sakhir,…
Lewis Hamilton (GBR) Mercedes
What happened on the final day of F1 2023 pre-season testing
Here's what happened on the final day of F1 testing in Bahrain.
- How to watch F1 Bahrain testing 2023: Live stream for free from anywhere
- Watch live from 6.50am every morning on Sky Sports in the UK
- Testing runs from 7am-4.30pm (UK) on Thurs, Fri and Sat
- F1 2023 Bahrain pre-season testing - Who will be driving when?
25 Feb 2023
09:56
Red flag!
Bottas has come to a halt in his Alfa Romeo.
09:53
Could Aston Martin challenge the top three?
Aston Martin have certainly caught the attention of their F1 rivals at pre-season testing.
One anonymous engineer told German publication Auto Motor und Sport: “Aston Martin has made the biggest step forward.
“According to our calculations, they are at least fourth and could even pose a threat to Mercedes and Ferrari.”
Fernando Alonso (ESP) Aston Martin F1 Team AMR23. Formula 1 Testing,…
09:35
All smiles for Fernando
Fernando Alonso (ESP) Aston Martin F1 Team. Formula 1 Testing, Sakhir,…
09:21
An update from McLaren...
"The team are currently conducting some temporary strengthening work on the front winglets to ensure we can complete today's running.
"It's a very minor issue that will be permanently fixed for the Grand Prix next weekend."
Oscar Piastri (AUS) McLaren. Formula 1 Testing, Sakhir, Bahrain, Day Three…
09:18
Another improvement from Drugovich
Drugovich is back out on softs and finds four-tenths to move up to third on a 1m32.075s.
09:16
good times on track as @nyckdevries gets stuck into his long run pic.twitter.com/9QNzR4RgDd
— Scuderia AlphaTauri (@AlphaTauriF1) February 25, 2023
09:10
Drugovich jumps up to fourth
Some performance running for Drugovich, who moves his Aston Martin into fourth on soft tyres. The reigning F2 champion is 1.4s off the pace.
09:02
Lap time update
The latest lap times half-way through the morning session...
Valtteri Bottas (FIN), Alfa Romeo Racing Formula 1 Testing, Sakhir,…
08:50
Problems continue for McLaren
Heat guns back out at McLaren. More problems with the wheel brows. pic.twitter.com/o4IVeX7DSP
— Will Buxton (@wbuxtonofficial) February 25, 2023
08:41
Our final day of testing is under way!
— Formula 1 (@F1) February 25, 2023
A timely reminder, that it's only ONE WEEK until lights out for real #F1#F1Testingpic.twitter.com/fJ24H4JBtm
08:38
Leclerc sets another new benchmark!
Leclerc is back out on C4s and finds another improvement to pull even further infront of the rest of the field on a 1m31.024s.
We are tantalisingly close to dipping into the 1m30s...
08:35
Hamilton watches on
Hamilton will be liking what he's seeing so far this morning. The seven-time world champion will get his chance in the W14 during this afternoon's session to close out Mercedes' 2023 testing programme.
08:26
Leclerc responds with best time of testing!
Oh hello! Leclerc is now out on the red-walled C4 tyre and usurps Russell at the top of the leaderboard by a couple of tenths with a 1m31.164s.
Charles Leclerc (MON) Ferrari SF-23. Formula 1 Testing, Sakhir, Bahrain,…
08:23
Another improvement from Russell
Russell finds further improvement amid this flurry of performance runs on the C5 tyre.
This time it's a 1m31.442s for the Mercedes driver, who extends his advantage over Leclerc to 0.778s.
The W14 is looking much more poised today. A much better morning so far for Mercedes.
08:09
Russell unleashes more Mercedes pace
It's another quick lap from Russell on the softest C5 compound, who is really starting to unleash some pace from the Mercedes this morning.
This time he produces the fastest lap of testing so far - a 1m31.564s!
08:06
Leclerc closes in on Russell
Leclerc has found a fairly big improvement in Ferrari's SF-23 to go second in the timesheets, just over half a second adrift of Russell.
08:02
Lap times after an hour
How things stand after the opening hour of running on the final day...
George Russell (GBR) Mercedes AMG F1 W14. Formula 1 Testing, Sakhir,…
07:54
Russell lowers the pace on softs
Russell starts to extract some pace from the Mercedes on the soft compound tyre. It's a 1m31.707s from the Brit, who goes quickest by over a second.
That's almost the fastest time of the week so far - just a tenth shy of what Zhou managed yesterday.
07:48
Perez sets new benchmark
Perez winds up his Red Bull and goes quickest on a 1m33.167s. That puts the Mexican just over a tenth clear of Hulkenberg.
07:45
Big spin for Piastri!
Huge save from Piastri after the Australian lost his car in a big way coming through Turn 10.
The McLaren swapped ends and spun a couple of times but thankfully for the F1 rookie, there was plenty of run off.
Quite remarkably, that is the first spin in three days of testing!
07:42
Hulkenberg reclaims top spot
Hulkenberg posts a new fastest time of the day with a 1m33.329s to displace Russell at the top by 0.356s.
07:38
Leclerc up to third
Leclerc goes third-fastest in his Ferrari, some four-tenths behind Russell's current benchmark.
07:30
Russell goes P1
Russell puts his Mercedes top of the timesheets with a 1m33.685s. That's just 0.005s quicker than what Hulkenberg managed.
George Russell (GBR) Mercedes AMG F1 W14. Formula 1 Testing, Sakhir,…
07:17
Hulkenberg goes top
After that brief red flag interruption, Hulkenberg did go fastest with a 1m33.690s. The Haas driver moves to the top of the order, two seconds clear of Piastri's McLaren.
