F1 2023 testing: Charles Leclerc sets new benchmark on final morning as Ferrari, Mercedes unleash pace

Charles Leclerc set a new benchmark pace as Ferrari and Mercedes started to flex their muscles on the final morning of F1 pre-season testing in Bahrain. 
Charles Leclerc (MON) Ferrari S
Charles Leclerc (MON) Ferrari S

Leclerc and 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:George Russell strapped on soft tyres and traded fastest laps during the penultimate session of testing, with the Ferrari driv🐻er ultimately taking the morning honours with a 1m31.024s. 

Leclerc set the ꦰfastest lap of the week so far on C4 tyres, while Russell produced Mercedes’ best time on the C5 compound as the eight-time constructors’ champions bounced back from their day two dramas which included an o♛n-track stoppage due to a hydraulic failure. 

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The brief flurry of performance running was a taste of what is ex🅠pected to come later when teams use more representatiꦆve track conditions to carry out some qualifying simulations ahead of next weekend’s season opener. 

Felipe Drugovich finished a second off the pace in third on his return to action for 🅘Aston Martin, ah𝓰ead of Red Bull’s Sergio Perez, Alex Albon’s Williams and Haas driver Nico Hulkenberg. 

Oscar Piastri (AUS) McLaren. Formula 1 Testing, Sakhir, Bahrain, Day Three. - www.xpbimages.com, EMail:
Oscar Piastri (AUS) McLaren. Formula 1 Testing, Sakhir, Bahrain, Day Three. - www.xpbimages…

McLaren’s troubles showed little sign of stopping as work continued to strengthen the car’s front winglets, restricting F1 rookie Oscar Piastri to the garage f♕or large spells. 

The Australian completed 44 laps - the lowest mil﷽eage o𒁏f the session - and became the first driver to suffer a spin in the three days of running. 

Aside from a brief red flag st⛄oppage to remove a sensor that fell off Perez’s car, the only other interruption of the morning came when Valtteri Bottas ground to a halt with a suspected gearbox issue on his Alfa Romeo.

The Finn ended up ninth-q🔥uickest ahead of Nyck de Vries, who rounded outꦡ the order for AlphaTauri. 

All teams barring Red Bull, Alfa Romeo and Williams will swap their drivers in the lunch break before the final session of testing commence🍌s. 

Valtteri Bottas (FIN) Alfa Romeo F1 Team C42. Formula 1 Testing, Sakhir, Bahrain, Day Three.- www.xpbimages.com, EMail:
Valtteri Bottas (FIN) Alfa Romeo F1 Team C42. Formula 1 Testing, Sakhir, Bahrain, Day Three.-…

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