Ferrari finished the final practice session in Bahrain the fastest overall. Carlos Sainz recorded the best time with a 1:30.824, despite going purple in any of the sectors.
Max Verstappen had the upper hand in the first sector, Lando Norris in the second, and George Russell in the third.
The Spaniard finished 0.141 ahead of compatriot Fernando Alonso and +0.238 on the world champion, Max Verstappen.
Charles Leclerc completed a scrutiny lap in FP2, losing about three-tenths to his teammate in the final sector.
Formula 1’s field continues to be very close, although there are other variables that could change things – such as engine mode and fuel load.
Focus on Qualifying, only Red Bull uses the Hard tyre
The action on the track was focused almost entirely on simulating the flying lap.
F1 cars are gradually getting closer to the ideal setup that the teams desire. This unlocks further potential for both the car and drivers.
The times are compact, although they show a gap between the front-runners and the midfield. Various teams alternated at the top of the standings until Carlos Sainz set the best time.
Ferrari’s second set of flying runs was slightly later than the rest, as the Maranello team made set-up changes on the SF-24.
Carlos Sainz immediately found himself at ease with the changes, while the Monegasque required some further adjustments.
All the teams focused their work on the C3 compound, the Soft tyres for the Bahrain GP. The only exception was Red Bull, who completed their first laps on the hards before going to the red rubber.
For now, Alpine is confirmed at the bottom of the grid. Then again, their current performance is hardly a surprise for Team Enstone.
Haas set strong times and produced some promising qualifying simulations. Fine margins will likely make the difference in qualifying.
Author: Paolo D’Alessandro
Translation: Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
