Leclerc fastest at mid-point of final test after red flag for broken glass pane · RaceFans

Charles Leclerc finished his allocation of pre-season test days by setting the fastest time in the first part of the final day of testing.

However the Ferrari driver’s best time of 1’30.811 was almost one-and-a-half seconds off the team’s best time in testing so far. Warmer but still blustery conditions greeted the drivers for the third day of testing at the Bahrain International Circuit.

Not for the first time in Bahrain this year, the test was disrupted for an unusual reason. The session was red-flagged with just over three-quarters of an hour remaining after a glass panel fell from a gantry near the start/finish line onto the pit straight.

The panel shattered, and the session was interrupted for around 10 minutes while the mess was cleared. Once the session resumed, Andrea Kimi Antonelli and Fernando Alonso quickly headed out again – only for the session to be immediately red-flagged again due to a course vehicle on the circuit.

Once that was remedied, the session resumed once more. The entire hiatus had nonetheless been considerably less disruptive than the power cut which hit the first day of testing.

With eight teams planning to swap the occupants of their cars during the lunch break, Leclerc was one of eight drivers who completed their pre-season running. Antonelli, who set the second-fastest time, was another, and kept himself busy on track passing Leclerc and Alexander Albon.

Norris also completed his test, setting the third-fastest time. Verstappen was fourth-quickest, but will continue running in the afternoon.

Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and go ad-free