F1: Red Bull's Sergio Perez tops final day of testing in Bahrain

1 year ago 63

Red Bull's Sergio Perez acceptable the fastest clip of Formula 1 pre-season investigating up of Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton.

The Mexican was 0.359 seconds faster than Hamilton, contempt utilizing a harder and theoretically slower tyre. Champion Max Verstappen did not tally connected the last day.

Alfa Romeo's Valtteri Bottas was third, with Ferrari's Charles Leclerc fourth.

Leclerc said Red Bull were successful a "very strong" presumption heading into the archetypal contention of the play adjacent weekend.

"I consciousness we person immoderate enactment to do," Leclerc said. "Red Bull look to beryllium precise beardown successful these 3 days."

Verstappen said Red Bull's trial astatine Bahrain's Sakhir track, which besides hosts the opening race, had been "very bully - the car is moving truly well".

The Dutchman, who completed his mileage implicit the archetypal 2 days of moving successful Bahrain, appeared to ooze assurance astir the play up successful an quality successful the authoritative quality league successful the mediate of the last day.

Headline times from investigating tin beryllium misleading, arsenic motor modes, substance loads and different method factors tin person a large effect connected performance, and teams bash not uncover the specification successful which they tally their cars.

But the wide content successful F1 is that Red Bull caput into the play arsenic beardown favourites, with Ferrari and Mercedes adjacent successful line.

Aston Martin, who finished seventh past season, are considered to person a made a measurement forward. And portion Alpine, 4th successful 2022, had a low-key test, they accidental they are assured they are wherever they expected to be, having acceptable a extremity this twelvemonth to adjacent connected the apical 3 teams. Technical manager Matt Harman said they person a important upgrade the car for the opening contention adjacent weekend.

McLaren, 5th past year, person admitted they volition commencement the play connected the backmost ft aft missing their improvement targets. Their trial has besides been interrupted by reliability problems, focused connected plan elements astir the beforehand wheels, which they accidental volition beryllium fixed for the race.

Fastest times, time three, pre-season testing, Bahrain

1 Sergio Perez (Mex) Red Bull 1:30.616 ****

2 Lewis Hamilton (GB) Mercedes 1:30.664 *****

3 Valtteri Bottas (Fin) Alfa Romeo 1:30.827 *****

4 Charles Leclerc (Mon) Ferrari 1:31.024 seconds ****

5 Carlos Sainz (Spa) Ferrari 1:31.036 ****

6 Yuki Tsunoda (Jpn) Alpha Tauri 1:31.683 ****

7 Kevin Magnussen (Den) Haas 1:31.381 ****

8 George Russell (GB) Mercedes 1:31.442 *****

9 Fernando Alonso (Spa) Aston Martin 1:31.450 ****

10 Felipe Drugovich (Brz) Aston Martin 1:32.075 *****

11 Lando Norris (GB) McLaren 1:32.691 ***