F1 preseason testing in Bahrain: Leclerc fastest on final day

Leclerc sets the pace on final morning of F1 preseason testing in Bahrain

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc clocked the fastest lap time during the final morning of Formula 1's preseason testing at the Bahrain International Circuit, completing the circuit in 1:30.811. The top three drivers were separated by a mere 0.132 seconds, showcasing the tight competition heading into the 2023 season.

Leclerc edged out Mercedes rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who finished just 0.077 seconds behind, while McLaren’s Lando Norris secured the third-fastest time with a lap of 1:30.943. All three drivers handed their cars over to their teammates for the afternoon session, marking the end of their preseason testing runs before the first practice session at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix.

Leclerc's performance was 0.463 seconds shy of the week's fastest lap, set by Carlos Sainz in the Williams on Thursday, and 0.380 seconds slower than his own best effort from the same day. Red Bull's Max Verstappen, returning for the final day of testing, posted a time 0.398 seconds behind Leclerc, indicating that Red Bull might be holding back their true pace, a common strategy during testing. On Thursday, when Liam Lawson was behind the wheel, the Red Bull seemed a step behind its leading competitors.

A brief red flag interrupted the morning session when glass from the start-finish gantry shattered and fell onto the track. The cleanup process took just over ten minutes, allowing marshals to clear the debris and ensure the track was safe to resume testing.

In the afternoon session, eight teams planned to switch drivers after lunch, with Red Bull opting to maintain Verstappen for the entire day and Williams continuing with Alex Albon. Despite concerns over Lance Stroll's participation due to illness, Aston Martin confirmed that Stroll would replace Fernando Alonso in the afternoon.

Morning session lap times:

As teams complete their final preparations, all eyes are now on the Australian Grand Prix to see how these preseason times will translate into race performance.

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