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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Live Reporting

Alicia Turner and Tasnim Chowdhury

  1. Charles Leclerc is the fastest car with a lap time of 1:33.689, Kimi Antonelli behind him in second (+0.227) and Oscar Piastri in third (+0.663).

    Antonelli and Leclerc have completed the most laps so far this morning.

  2. Laps completed so far

    Oscar Piastri (McLaren) - 22

    Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) - 43

    Isack Hadjar (Red Bull) - 24

    Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) - 36

    Carlos Sainz (Williams) - 24

    Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls) - 34

    Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) - 0

    Pierre Gasly (Alpine) - 25

    Esteban Ocon (Haas) - 21

    Nico Hulkenberg (Audi) - 30

    Sergio Perez (Cadillac) - 4

  3. As if they've heard me, the Cadillac is back out on the circuit!

    Sergio Perez has two hours of testing left this morning, before Valtteri Bottas takes over testing duties.

  4. Esteban Ocon is back in the Haas garage, he's peering into the cockpit of his car with his engineers. The inter tyres are off.

    Kimi Antonelli has just been getting on with his testing, he's clocked in 43 laps so far.

    I don't know where the Cadillac is, Sergio Perez completed one lap and disappeared.

  5. Active aero and overtake mode - F1's new terminology

    McLarenGetty Images

    Overtake mode: Replaces the current DRS overtaking aid. A burst of extra electrical energy available when drivers are within a second of the car in front to deploy power to assist with an overtake.

    Boost mode: Driver-operated energy deployment from the energy recovery system that can be used in attack or defence. Gives the driver maximum power from the engine and battery at the push of a button.

    Both these modes will have to be used with calculation as total energy is limited.

    Active aero: The front and rear wings adjust angles - open on the straights for low drag and speed, and closed in the corners for maximum downforce.

    Recharge: Drivers can recharge their battery with energy recovered from braking, or on throttle lift at the end of the straights or in corners where only partial power is applied.

  6. Get Involved - 'I think Ferrari may have it this year'

    Select the 'Get Involved' button to have your say

    Ollie, Billericay: Will be very interesting to see the first race start - if they can get the turbo running in time.

    Jen, Cheshire: As a McLaren fan...I think Ferrari may have it this year (bar strategy fails). Lets get Lewis his 8th!

  7. Liam Lawson does not have his guitar at the moment but he does have the American football again and is practicing his throw.

    NFL sign him up, but probably after the season, Racing Bulls still need him.

  8. Isack Hadjar's Red Bull has re-joined the track with a brand new set of medium tyres bolted on.

    He joins Charles Leclerc, Kimi Antonelli and Arvid Lindblad on the circuit.

    Lots of bright green flow-vis paint on the front left side of the car.

  9. Nico Hulkenberg has a big lock up on track. He returns back to the pits.

    Arvid Lindblad is racing down the circuit on a set of new hard tyres. he is now up to 23 laps.

    His Racing Bulls team-mate Liam Lawson is not on testing duties today, but he was pictured entering the paddock earlier with a guitar, so I am sure he's keeping himself entertained.

  10. Get Involved - Send in your predictions

    Select the 'Get Involved' button to have your say

    Enz, Hertfordshire: Hopefully Antonelli will fulfill some of those glimpses of potential from last season. Italy have been desperate for an F1 driver for years now. Forza Kimi!!

    Dave, Manchester: Would love to see Lewis back on the podium this year, hopefully the upside down rear wing works!!! Sounds like Mercedes are strongest team so far though through practice.

    Jacob, Brighton: I reckon George Russell will win the championship with Max in second, Lando in third, Charles in fourth and Kimi in fifth. Oscar I predict will have a shocker and will leave McLaren at the end of the year!

  11. Four drivers are out on the Bahrain International Circuit at the moment.

    Charles Leclerc, Oscar Piastri, Kimi Antonelli and Nico Hulkenberg are adding to their laps tally.

    Arvid Lindblad is just coming out of the pits into an out lap.

  12. Aston Martin's woes

    Aston Martin garageGetty Images

    This is not what Aston Martin need. It has not been a great testing session for them this week.

    On day one Lance Stroll's car spun and ended up in the gravel, the team managed to fix the car and send the Canadian back out again.

    Fernando Alonso had a full day of testing on day two, however his run was cut short after an issue with the power unit. He managed 68 laps.

    For day three, Stroll will only be able to complete short stints.

  13. Honda statement

    Honda, power unit for Aston Martin, have released a statement after the issues with Fernando Alonso's car yesterday.

    "Our last run with Fernando Alonso yesterday showed a battery-related issue that impacted our test plan with Aston Martin.

    "Due to this and a shortage of power unit parts, we have adapted today's run plan to be very limited and consist only of short stints."

  14. Laps completed so far

    Oscar Piastri (McLaren) - 16

    Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) - 29

    Isack Hadjar (Red Bull) - 18

    Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) - 16

    Carlos Sainz (Williams) - 18

    Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls) - 20

    Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) - 0

    Pierre Gasly (Alpine) - 22

    Esteban Ocon (Haas) - 21

    Nico Hulkenberg (Audi) - 17

    Sergio Perez (Cadillac) - 1

  15. We are just a little over an hour in for this morning's session.

    Charles Leclerc continues to be the fastest car on the circuit.

    Kimi Antonelli has been busy running laps, his tally is up to 29. The most in this session so far.

    We have still not seen a peep of the Aston Martin yet.

  16. Get Involved - Send in your predictions

    Select the 'Get Involved' button to have your say

    Josh, Halstead: I think that the Ferraris might not qualify first and second, but I think they will be close and causing chaos at Turn One in Australia.

    Mark, Mansfield: Looking forward to the final testing day. It’ll certainly be an interesting start to the season given the drivers comments in the debriefs.

    Brian, Dunfermline: Everything fine at Aston, its all part of El Plan, Alonso podiums a plenty this year watch this space...please...

  17. Esteban Ocon has a set of inter tyres bolted on his Haas.

    Is there rain coming in Bahrain? There's blue skies!

    Maybe Haas are testing for wet weather conditions.

  18. Oscar Piastri and Kimi Antonelli are on flying laps at the moment. They are quite close together on the track.

    Antonelli stays in second and Piastri in third.

    In the Ferrari garage, Charles Leclerc has popped his helmet back on and hopped back into his car.

  19. Carlos Sainz has set personal best times in sectors one and two. Can he get a faster lap in? Nope, just sixth for him.

    The Cadillac of Sergio Perez has been propped up as the team work on the car.

    Kimi Antonelli has completed 21 laps now, the most so far.

  20. The screens are up at the Aston Martin garage, hiding the work being done to the car.

    Lance Stroll is the only driver yet to get out on the track in Bahrain. He has only had one session of testing so far this week.