F1 Bahrain Grand Prix: Fernando Alonso pips Max Verstappen to keep Aston Martin on top in final practice
The 41-year-old Spaniard was j🍸ust 0.005s quicker than reigning 🅘world champion Verstappen at the end of the low-fuel short runs in FP3 to tease the prospect of a thrilling qualifying later on Saturday.
Verstappen, who did not seem entirely happy with his RB19 car, briefly went fastest with a fairly scrappy lap, before Alonso usurped him as Aston Martin con𓃲tinued their impressive start to the weekend.
Alonso had downplayꦫed his chances of taking a first pole position in over 10 years after Fridaꦯy practice.
Sergio Perez was third-fastest and just 0.105s off the pace in the 🐼other Red Bull.
There was a more encouraging showing from Mercedes, with Lewis Hamilton ending up fourth and only ⛄two-tenths adrift, a🌊head of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and teammate George Russell.
Lance Stroll, nursing his injured wrist, was nearly six tenths slower than his Aston Martin teammate in seventh.&n🌸bsp;
Carlos Sainz, ﷺOscar Pi༺astri and Pierre Gasly completed the rest of the top-10 order for Ferrari, McLaren and Alpine respectively.
Qualifying for the Bahrain season-o🌃pener gets underway at 3pm UK time.
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