Ferrari ended pre-season testing with comfortably the quickest time around the Bahrain International Circuit.

Charles Leclerc used the softer C4 tyres to set the benchmark lap time of 1’31.992 less than half an hour before the chequered flag fell. Most teams used harder rubber to set their best times.

The second-fastest time of the test was Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s 1’32.803, which the Mercedes driver set yesterday. A loss of pneumatic pressure cut his running short today, but team mate George Russell joined the track soon after the lunch break finished. He ended the day fourth in the times sheets.

Lando Norris was second-fastest for McLaren but, like Mercedes, they did not improve on their best time on the final day. Max Verstappen took five-hundredths of a second off Red Bull’s quickest lap, leaving him third.

Pierre Gasly and Oliver Bearman set new benchmark times for their respective teams, ending the test fifth and sixth. Gabriel Bortoleto put Audi in a promising seventh ahead of Antonelli.

Racing Bulls and Williams also set their fastest times of the test, though Carlos Sainz Jnr was only 10th fastest for the latter in his FW48.

Aston Martin failed to set a time, having begun the day warning a shortage of parts would constrain their running following their latest Honda engine problem yesterday. Lance Stroll covered just six tours of the track in his AMR26, at which point the team said it had done all the mileage it expected to and did not return to the track.

The cars will next share a track at the opening practice session for the Australian Grand Prix in two weeks’ time.

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Pre-season test day three results

Pos. Car number Driver Team Model Best time Gap Laps
1 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari SF-26 1’31.992 132
2 1 Lando Norris McLaren MCL40 1’32.871 0.879 47
3 3 Max Verstappen Red Bull RB22 1’33.109 1.117 65
4 63 George Russell Mercedes W17 1’33.197 1.205 82
5 10 Pierre Gasly Alpine A526 1’33.421 1.429 118
6 87 Oliver Bearman Haas VF-26 1’33.487 1.495 88
7 5 Gabriel Bortoleto Audi R26 1’33.755 1.763 71
8 12 Andrea Kimi Antonelli Mercedes W17 1’33.916 1.924 49
9 41 Arvid Lindblad Racing Bulls 03 1’34.149 2.157 165
10 55 Carlos Sainz Jnr Williams FW48 1’34.342 2.350 141
11 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren MCL40 1’34.352 2.360 66
12 31 Esteban Ocon Haas VF-26 1’34.494 2.502 82
13 6 Isack Hadjar Red Bull RB22 1’34.511 2.519 59
14 77 Valtteri Bottas Cadillac 1’35.290 3.298 38
15 27 Nico Hulkenberg Audi R26 1’36.019 4.027 64
16 11 Sergio Perez Cadillac 1’40.842 8.850 61
17 18 Lance Stroll Aston Martin AMR26 6

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