Charles Leclerc finished pre-season testing in Bahrain at the top of the timesheets after setting the quickest lap on Friday for Ferrari. The run appeared to be done on relatively low fuel, suggesting the team was clearly aiming to post a strong headline time rather than focusing purely on long runs.

Even so, the lap was around 2.5 seconds slower than comparable 2025 testing pace under the previous regulations, which is not considered a bad reference given the major rule changes and the different characteristics of the current cars.

Lando Norris followed in second place, with Max Verstappen, George Russell and Pierre Gasly completing the top five. However, testing programmes varied significantly, making direct comparisons difficult.

Aston Martin endured another challenging day, with limited running due to ongoing power unit concerns. The team heads into the opening round in Australia with less mileage than planned and some unanswered questions.

McLaren also spent some time in the garage during the afternoon, while Cadillac also faced technical issues. Rookie Arvid Lindblad stood out for completing the highest number of laps, focusing primarily on data collection.

Results: Bahrain test day 3

1. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – 1:31.992, 132 laps
2. Lando Norris (McLaren) – +0.879, 47 laps
3. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) – +1.117, 65 laps
4. George Russell (Mercedes) – +1.205, 82 laps
5. Pierre Gasly (Alpine) – +1.429, 118 laps
6. Oliver Bearman (Haas) – +1.495, 88 laps
7. Gabriel Bortoleto (Audi) – +1.763, 71 laps
8. Andrea Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) – +1.924, 49 laps
9. Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls) – +2.157, 165 laps
10. Carlos Sainz (Williams) – +2.350, 141 laps
11. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) – +2.360, 66 laps
12. Esteban Ocon (Haas) – +2.502, 82 laps
13. Isack Hadjar (Red Bull) – +2.519, 59 laps
14. Valtteri Bottas (Cadillac) – +3.298, 38 laps
15. Nico Hülkenberg (Audi) – +4.027, 64 laps
16. Sergio Pérez (Cadillac) – +8.850, 61 laps
17. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) – no time set, 6 laps