George Russell finished on top during the third and final day of pre-season testing in Bahrain, beating Max Verstappen in the closing moments. The Mercedes driver clocked the fastest lap, just edging out the reigning world champion as teams wrapped up their testing programs ahead of the new Formula 1 season. Charles Leclerc had led the morning session for Ferrari before most teams swapped drivers for the afternoon, except for Red Bull and Williams, where Verstappen and Alex Albon continued their runs. Haas had early troubles when a piece of their engine cover detached, but Esteban Ocon was the first back on track.

Pierre Gasly initially set the pace before Verstappen topped the charts with a 1m 29.844s lap. Meanwhile, Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll, feeling unwell, handed driving duties to Fernando Alonso after completing just 34 laps.