Leclerc leads as Ferrari wrap up F1 pre-season testing with fastest laps

On the second consecutive day of pre-season testing in Bahrain, Charles Leclerc maintained Ferrari's position at the forefront of the timesheets. However, despite their impressive performance, it was evident that Red Bull, the reigning champions, remained the team to watch out for in Formula 1.

Leclerc posted the fastest lap time of one minute and 30.322 seconds on the C5 tires on the final day, closely followed by George Russell of Mercedes who was only 0.046 seconds slower on the C4 tires.

Guanyu Zhou from Sauber secured the third spot on the C4 tires, while Max Verstappen of Red Bull finished fourth, 0.433 seconds behind the leader.

Verstappen, who used the C3 tires that will be used in the upcoming season-opener, expressed satisfaction with the day's performance, focusing on long runs to better understand the car's capabilities.

The session was briefly interrupted due to a dislodged drain cover at Turn 11, but resumed after repairs, with the lunch break canceled and the session extended under floodlights until the evening.

Ferrari's Carlos Sainz had been the quickest before the incident, setting the fastest time of testing with a 1:29.921 on C4 tires. Ferrari reported completing over seven grand prix distances, covering 423 laps or 2,257km.

Leclerc mentioned that despite some floor damage, the car is reacting as expected, showing improvements from last year. Red Bull's Sergio Perez caused the stoppage on Friday.

Mercedes focused on long-term performance, covering 1,952km over three days. The team's trackside engineering director, Andrew Shovlin, noted positive feedback from drivers compared to last year. Hamilton acknowledged Red Bull's strong performance, with others concurring.

The upcoming 24-race season begins in Bahrain next week, with Formula One scheduling the first two rounds in the Middle East before Ramadan.