P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Ferrari ended 2024 Formula 1 pre-season testing on top as Charles Leclerc pipped Mercedes’ George Russell to the fastest time on day three
Ferrari finished on top in the 2024 Formula 1 pre-season testing with Charles Leclerc setting the fastest time on day three, ahead of George Russell from Mercedes. Leclerc’s best lap time was 1m30.322s, slightly slower than his teammate Carlos Sainz’s time of 1m29.921s from the previous day. Despite multiple drivers attempting runs on soft tires towards the end, Leclerc managed to maintain the fastest time on day three. Russell’s late flying lap on softer tires was impressive, coming within 0.046 seconds of Leclerc’s time, with Zhou Guanyu also putting in a strong performance to secure third place. Max Verstappen had been the closest challenger to the Ferraris but ended up four tenths behind Leclerc. The final two hours of testing were focused on long runs, allowing for comparisons between Ferrari and Red Bull, with Leclerc showcasing strong consistency on the C1 tires compared to Verstappen.
