P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz topped the leaderboard in the third and final practice session for the Bahrain Grand Prix, leading Aston
The final free practice session of the inaugural Grand Prix weekend of the 2024 Formula 1 season started at 15:30 local time, with track temperatures contrasting sharply to what is expected for qualifying. Lewis Hamilton set an early benchmark time of 1:32.733s on soft tires, with Ferrari’s Sainz and Leclerc following suit shortly after. It took some time for all competitors to join the track, mostly on soft tires, with Alonso eventually taking the lead halfway through the session. Red Bull’s Verstappen initially trailed behind on hard tires but later jumped to the top after switching to soft rubber. Alonso briefly reclaimed the lead, but ultimately Sainz finished on top with a time of 1:30.824s, setting the stage for an uncertain pole position battle in qualifying at 19:00 local time (16:00 GMT).
