Autobayng News Team
Charles Leclerc put Ferrari on top of the times soon after testing resumed in Bahrain this morning and was still there when the lunch break began.
He set a best time of 1’33.739 in the team’s SF-26, quicker than it managed through the test at the Bahrain International Circuit last week. The Ferrari sported an unusual new winglet in front of its exhaust for today’s test.
Pirelli has brought a wider range of tyres for the final three days of testing, including all five of its regular compounds plus a new prototype. Leclerc set his best time on the prototype tyre, as did Lando Norris, whose 1’34.052 was the best time McLaren has managed in testing so far. Last week’s pace-setter Andrea Kimi Antonelli was third in his Mercedes, just a tenth of a second off Norris, and one-and-a-half seconds ahead of the next car.
Mercedes customers Williams and Alpine set the fourth and fifth fastest times with Alexander Albon and Pierre Gasly respectively.
Isack Hadjar was sixth for Red Bull but completed just 13 laps over the first four hours. He spent most of the session in the garage after the team identified a pressure problem within its Red Bull-Ford power unit.
In all, five teams have already set quicker times than they managed at last week’s test. They include Aston Martin: Fernando Alonso’s 1’36.536 brought them within three seconds of the fastest time. Besides Ferrari and McLaren, Williams and Racing Bulls have also set their quickest lap times so far. However the latter were only 10th quickest, Arvid Lindblad ahead of Sergio Perez’s Cadillac.
Midday times: Pre-season test three, day one
| Pos. | Car number | Driver | Team | Model | Best time | Gap | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | SF-26 | 1’33.739 | 70 | |
| 2 | 1 | Lando Norris | McLaren | MCL40 | 1’34.052 | 0.313 | 54 |
| 3 | 12 | Andrea Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | W17 | 1’34.158 | 0.419 | 69 |
| 4 | 23 | Alexander Albon | Williams | FW48 | 1’35.690 | 1.951 | 55 |
| 5 | 10 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | A526 | 1’35.898 | 2.159 | 61 |
| 6 | 6 | Isack Hadjar | Red Bull | RB22 | 1’36.188 | 2.449 | 13 |
| 7 | 31 | Esteban Ocon | Haas | VF-26 | 1’36.418 | 2.679 | 65 |
| 8 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | AMR26 | 1’36.536 | 2.797 | 28 |
| 9 | 27 | Nico Hulkenberg | Audi | R26 | 1’36.741 | 3.002 | 49 |
| 10 | 41 | Arvid Lindblad | Racing Bulls | 03 | 1’36.769 | 3.030 | 75 |
| 11 | 11 | Sergio Perez | Cadillac | 1’38.191 | 4.452 | 24 |
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