Bahrain Testing - Day 3

The last day of the 2024 pre-season testing didn't lack the excitement and frustrations of the one before. Once again, because of a technical issue, the structure changed, this time more drastically. We saw drivers doing everything they could to maximize their time on track and carry out all the tests planned out by the ambitious teams, even under unfortunate circumstances. 

The day started with Sainz, Norris, Albon, Perez, Magnussen, Hamilton, Ricciardo, Stroll, Ocon, and Bottas on track. They didn't get to drive for long; an hour after the testing began, a red flag appeared. It was, once again, brought out by the loose drain cover on the curb of turn 11. This time, it was Sergio Perez whose car suffered slightly when he went right over it. The session resumed at 11:45 local time and, because of the lost hour, the marshals decided to get rid of the lunch break and let the cars drive uninterrupted until 19:10. 

Despite the lack of a break, all teams except for Williams opted to change drivers mid-session. The swaps occurred around 15:00, so from then until the end, we could watch Leclerc, Piastri, Verstappen, Hulkenberg, Russel, Alonso, Gasly, Zhou, and Albon on the Bahrain circuit. During the second half of the session, Alex Albon, the only driver who spent the whole day behind the wheel, managed to join the exclusive '100+ laps completed' club. As the day concluded, Leclerc topped the leaderboard (1:30:322), followed by Russel and Zhou. While some might be surprised by the lack of Max Verstappen, it is important to note that the three aforementioned drivers achieved their scores on a C4 tire, while the Dutchman opted for a C3. Once again, the session concluded with a safety car and race start tests. 

As the testing concluded, people began sharing their predictions for the 2024 season. While, of course, the times achieved are not necessarily indicative of the teams' abilities, some conclusions can be drawn regarding the pecking order of the ten teams. For now, all that is left is to wait and see what the upcoming race weekend will bring. And remember, the season opener is on a Saturday, not a Sunday.