The key takeaway from the third practice session (FP3) is that the initial qualifying round of the 2024 Formula 1 season is poised to be an exhilarating one. While Red Bull demonstrated some of their speed, the chasing pack appears to be in a favorable position. Sainz showcased Ferrari’s genuine pace during a single lap, while Alonso’s second-place finish provided hope for Aston Martin fans following a lackluster pre-season showing. Verstappen, on the other hand, achieved the third-fastest time after only one attempt on the Soft tires. Red Bull focused on the Hard tires earlier in FP3 and didn’t fully utilize their power unit. It’s worth noting that Verstappen’s lap was affected by traffic early on. The top three drivers were separated by a mere 0.238 seconds.
As we draw closer to determining the hierarchy of the 2024 F1 grid, the first and second free practice sessions (FP1 and FP2) on Thursday delivered some surprises. Hamilton and Russell, representing Mercedes, finished first and second respectively in the second practice, despite reports of Mercedes showcasing their engines at maximum capacity. In contrast, Red Bull and Max Verstappen seemingly dialed down the power of their Honda unit. Mercedes finds themselves in a more favorable position than anticipated based on pre-season testing. We can expect to witness the true potential of the RB20 today, especially considering its strong race pace from the previous day. Hopefully, FP3 will provide a glimpse of that potential. One thing is certain – qualifying in Bahrain later today is set to be extraordinary.
While Ferrari appears to be in a favorable position, McLaren remains a question mark, and Aston Martin is not far behind. Additionally, just when we thought the Christian Horner saga had concluded, a shocking revelation emerged, igniting controversy once again. The alleged investigation materials/evidence have caused quite a stir. However, for now, let’s shift our focus to what truly matters – the racing!
The temperature in Bahrain remained lower than usual for the second day of running. At the start of FP3, the ambient temperature was 20 degrees Celsius, while the track temperature reached 34 degrees Celsius. Despite the windy conditions, they were less severe compared to Thursday. The teams and drivers took their time before hitting the track, with almost ten minutes passing before any action commenced. Hamilton and Russell were the first to venture out, as teams aimed to conserve tires and power unit life. It’s important to note that qualifying will occur under significantly different conditions than FP3, taking place in the late afternoon after sunset.
Hamilton established the initial lap time of the session, recording 1:32.733 on Soft tires, which was more than two seconds slower than his fastest time in FP2 on Thursday.
After 15 minutes had passed, more drivers began to join the action. Sainz achieved the second fastest time behind Hamilton, while Leclerc took the top spot on the timing screens during his first attempt, all on Soft tires.
Magnussen quickly claimed the top position on the screens, 20 minutes into the session, only to be surpassed by Stroll, who bumped him down to second. Norris secured the third fastest time during his first attempt. Perez, on the other hand, was in seventh place using the Hards.
Russell soon became the fastest, surpassing the competition by half a second on Soft tires. In contrast, Verstappen chose to go out on Hards for his first timed lap, which placed him in 12th position, over one and a half seconds slower than Russell’s time, a 1:31.821.
Alonso then outperformed Russell by over two tenths of a second on Soft tires during his first hot lap of FP3 around the Sakhir Circuit, just like the remaining drivers.
After 30 minutes had passed, the top ten positions were occupied by Alonso, Russell, Leclerc, Sainz, Stroll, Magnussen, Albon, Norris, Hamilton, and Ricciardo.
⏱️ FASTEST SECTORS ⏱️
Alonso dominating the first two sectors 💪#F1 #BahrainGP pic.twitter.com/GOO12D6uHv
— Formula 1 (@F1) March 1, 2024
Following their first runs, the cars returned to their respective garages to make adjustments and change tires in preparation for another outing.
32 minutes into FP3, Hamilton experienced heavy brake lock-up while entering Turn 10, but managed to continue after a brief excursion into the run-off area.
Just over 3/4 of the way through FP3, both Bulls are leading 💪
Max is in first place and Checo is in second place 👏 pic.twitter.com/C9qYCWQdOl
— Oracle Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) March 1, 2024
With 15 minutes remaining, Perez showcased the first glimpse of Red Bull’s speed by taking the top position on Soft tires, surpassing Alonso’s time by over three tenths of a second.
Verstappen quickly followed suit, also on Soft tires, surpassing his teammate’s time by two tenths of a second. The Red Bulls strategically executed their fast runs later when track conditions were more favorable.
However, Alonso soon reclaimed the fastest time, edging out Verstappen by less than a tenth of a second. Alonso was informed about his best time.
He responded, “I have made another improvement, I feel connected with the car, it’s good.”
Norris then made progress and achieved the third fastest time, less than a tenth and a half slower than Alonso. However, Sainz soon posted the fastest time, just five minutes before the end of the session.
The practice starts marked the conclusion of the session.
Report in progress…