Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc emerged as the standout performer during the final stages of the pre-season testing, topping the timesheets in the morning session at the Bahrain International Circuit. After two challenging days marked by chilly, windy, and occasionally rainy weather in the Sakhir desert, the conditions improved significantly. With a bone-dry track and pleasant temperatures, teams and drivers seized the opportunity to gather crucial data ahead of the new season.
As the third day of the 2025 pre-season testing unfolded, two drivers who had already completed their initial runs were the new signings for Williams and Red Bull, namely Carlos Sainz and Liam Lawson. Both drivers participated in the full two sessions on Thursday before handing over their cars to their teammates for today's activities. Meanwhile, Aston Martin saw an unexpected change in their lineup, with Fernando Alonso taking over the morning session due to Lance Stroll not feeling “100%” upon waking.
Drama unfolded about an hour and a half into the session when some bodywork detached from the Haas driven by Ollie Bearman, resulting in yellow flags as marshals cleared debris from the track. Fortunately, Haas downplayed the incident, and following quick repairs, Bearman was able to return to the track and complete vital preparations for the upcoming Australian Grand Prix.
Another interruption occurred shortly before the lunch break when debris was spotted on the start/finish straight. Young talents Kimi Antonelli from Mercedes and Gabriel Bortoleto from Kick Sauber both faced moments in their garages, with screens set up to shield ongoing work. Max Verstappen, also took a cautious approach while Red Bull mechanics addressed some issues at the rear of the RB21, following Lawson's admission of experiencing some “teething gremlins” on his final day of testing.
As the chequered flag waved to mark the end of the morning session, Leclerc secured the top position with a best lap time of 1m 30.811s. He was closely followed by Antonelli, Lando Norris from McLaren, and reigning World Champion Max Verstappen. Australian driver Jack Doohan also impressed with a solid performance, finishing in fifth place, ahead of Alex Albon from Williams and Isack Hadjar from Racing Bulls. Alonso completed the top positions before stepping aside for Stroll to take over the car for the afternoon session.
After a fruitful morning, the teams took a break for a quick meal in the paddock, where they will analyze the gathered data ahead of the final pre-season session for 2025, scheduled to run from 1500 to 1900 local time. As the teams prepare to dive deeper into their strategies and setups, all eyes will be on how they perform in the concluding tests before the season opener.
Stay tuned for live coverage and updates as the excitement of the 2025 Formula 1 season approaches!
