Summary

  • Ferrari's Leclerc fastest on final day of pre-season testing in Bahrain

  • McLaren's Norris in second, with Red Bull's Verstappen third

  • Aston Martin finished testing early after completing only six laps on last day

  • First race in Melbourne takes place from 6-8 March

  • New technical regulations biggest change in F1 for years

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  1. Postpublished at 15:13 GMT 20 February

    A human wall has been formed at Ferrari, I wonder what is going on there...

    It's clear they want nobody having a sneak peak!

  2. Testing done for Aston Martinpublished at 15:11 GMT 20 February

    It hasn't quite been the testing week Aston Martin will have hoped for and there will be a lot of head scratching and questions marks going on.

    The team announced with over two hours to go that they were packing up for the day and that their testing was over.

    Lance Stroll was the driver in the cockpit today, but he only completed six laps in total after major delays in the earlier session.

    Over the three days of testing this week, the team have managed to complete a total of 128 laps, from both their drivers Fernando Alonso and Stroll.

    Lance Stroll during testing in BahrainImage source, Getty Images
  3. get involved

    Get Involved - 'I have a good feeling about this season'published at 15:07 GMT 20 February

    Select the 'Get Involved' button to have your say

    Simon, Wolverhampton: I'm hoping for three things this season - at least one race win for Williams. A Red Bull car that both drivers can get the most out of to get a win for Hadjar. Ferrari winning both championships.

    Daryl, Bristol: I'm genuinely impressed with reliability. Five teams now having reached over 1000 laps (including Barcelona shakedown). I can't remember a pre-season dominated by reliability (Honda excluded). I have a good feeling about this season. Could we be looking like 2012, with seven winners in seven 7 races. Who knows!

  4. Laps completed so farpublished at 15:04 GMT 20 February

    Lando Norris (McLaren) - 17

    George Russell (Mercedes) - 64

    Max Verstappen (Red Bull) - 50

    Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) - 117

    Carlos Sainz (Williams) - 119

    Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls) - 146

    Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) - 6

    Pierre Gasly (Alpine) - 100

    Oliver Bearman (Haas) - 73

    Gabriel Bortoleto (Audi) - 50

    Valtteri Bottas (Cadillac) - 21

  5. An hour to gopublished at 15:01 GMT 20 February

    Track conditions are a bit more representative to race conditions now. It’s currently 6pm local time in Bahrain which is an hour away from when it would be lights out for the Bahrain Grand Prix.

    Track temperature is 28 degrees and air temperature is 25 degrees.

  6. Postpublished at 15:00 GMT 20 February

    Charles Leclerc is having a great time out there! He's attacking the track on some new tyres, but after setting a purple first sector he almost loses it and nearly spins off the track.

    I'm sure he will be back to try again!

  7. Postpublished at 14:57 GMT 20 February

    Red Bull's Max Verstappen sets a personal best on a new tyre but remains in third on the timing sheet.

    The Dutchman crosses the line with a 1:33.324 and banked his 47th lap of the afternoon.

  8. Top fivepublished at 14:53 GMT 20 February

    1) Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) - 1:32.655

    2) Lando Norris (McLaren) +0.216

    3) Max Verstappen (Red Bull) +0.952

    4) George Russell (Mercedes) +1.140

    5) Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) +1.261

  9. Postpublished at 14:49 GMT 20 February

    McLaren's Lando Norris has just completed a push lap and has improved. He's now only two-tenths of a second from Charles Leclerc.

  10. Postpublished at 14:46 GMT 20 February

    Charles Leclerc is on fire! He's improved on his previous time and has gone purple in all three sectors.

    He crosses the line seven-tenths ahead of the rest of the field with a time of 1:32.655.

  11. Postpublished at 14:44 GMT 20 February

    Charles Leclerc is now driving into the sunset in his Ferrari on the C3 compound tyre. A handful of the drivers are setting their quickest laps on that tyre.

    He ends up backing out of his push lap after going wide at Turn Four.

    Elsewhere, George Russell sets a personal best in the first sector and crosses the line to go fourth, pushing his team-mate Kimi Antonelli down to fifth. The Mercedes man clocks a 1:33.795.

    Charles Leclerc during testing in BahrainImage source, Getty Images
  12. Norris goes secondpublished at 14:40 GMT 20 February

    Max Verstappen goes four-tenths quicker than his previous time but is quickly knocked down to third by McLaren's Lando Norris.

    Norris clocks a time of 1:33.373 on the C3 compound tyre, 0.211 seconds from leader Charles Leclerc.

  13. Postpublished at 14:37 GMT 20 February

    Max Verstappen is back out on track now and has just completed his 40th lap of the afternoon.

    The Red Bull driver is doing a push lap and has gone fastest in the first sector on the C3 compound tyre.

    Let's see if he improves on his time.

  14. get involved

    Get Involved - 'Have a feeling Mercedes will dominate the early races'published at 14:30 GMT 20 February

    Select the 'Get Involved' button to have your say

    Graham, Suffolk: Got a twitchy feeling that Ferrari may well be up there…Lewis seems more up beat than usual and both drivers seem fairly confident and consistent.

    Enrico: Once the sandbags are off Mercedes, Red Bull, Ferrari and McLaren are well in front of the rest. Have a feeling Mercedes will dominate the early races if they can stay reliable. Ferrari look good in testing but we’ve heard that before.

    Ash: Hard to predict the top, Mercedes, Ferrari, Red Bull and McLaren all look very good with very little issues during testing, good reliability and consistency. If it comes down to engine performance Mercedes might have it. One thing for sure it looks like a long season ahead for Aston Martin.

  15. Norris admits new F1 cars 'not purest form of racing'published at 14:26 GMT 20 February

    Andrew Benson
    BBC F1 correspondent in Bahrain

    Lando Norris during testing in BahrainImage source, Getty Images

    Lando Norris has admitted he described the new Formula 1 cars as "a lot of fun" last week to "see what the reaction was of everyone".

    The world champion also suggested Max Verstappen, who had said the cars were "just not F1", could "go and find something else to do" if he did not like them.

    On Thursday, at the second pre-season test, Norris said: "I just didn't want to come out into the media and complain to everyone on the first weekend back.

    "I just wanted to say that and see what the reaction was of everyone.

    "It's been quite an amusing week, and it certainly made a lot of people comment and say a lot of things."

  16. Norris improvespublished at 14:23 GMT 20 February

    Lando Norris has improved on his time and crosses the line to go fourth on the timing screen.

    The McLaren driver sets a personal best in all three sectors, setting a time of 1:33.999 on the C3 compound tyre.

  17. Verstappen second-fastestpublished at 14:21 GMT 20 February

    Here comes Max Verstappen who is fastest in the first sector...

    The Red Bull driver finishes second in the standings, pushing Kimi Antonelli down to third.

    The Dutchman sets his best time of this session so far, clocking a 1:33.866 on the C3 compound tyre.

  18. Norris goes sixthpublished at 14:18 GMT 20 February

    Lando Norris crosses the line and pops his McLaren into sixth, 1.217 seconds from leader Charles Leclerc.

    He looks like he's staying on the track for now.

  19. get involved

    Get Involved - 'Could be in for a cracker'published at 14:17 GMT 20 February

    Select the 'Get Involved' button to have your say

    James, London: I would love to see Ferrari start the season strong but it's hard to look past Mercedes and Red Bull at the moment. Then McLaren and Ferrari close behind! Could be in for a cracker.

    Peter: With all the changes can only hope for every team to get a podium or two and end up with Lewis winning championship at last race of season.

    Ishaan, London: Ferrari are looking rapid based on what we have seen in these past few sessions.

  20. Leclerc surpasses 100 lapspublished at 14:15 GMT 20 February

    Racing Bulls' Arvid Lindblad has completed the most laps with 136, followed by Williams' Carlos Sainz with 110.

    Ferrari's Charles Leclerc has just surpassed 100 laps, so some solid running for the Monegasque driver.