Lewis Hamilton completes Ferrari F1 testing programme with 47 laps on final day in Bahrain

George Russell concluded the last day of Formula 1 pre-season testing in Bahrain with the fastest lap, clocking in at 1:29.545 in his Mercedes W15. His time edged out Max Verstappen by just 0.021 seconds, while Alex Albon continued Williams’ strong form by securing third place on the timesheets.

The afternoon session saw an intense battle for the top spot, with Pierre Gasly putting in a strong performance and frequently trading fastest laps with Russell in the opening two hours. However, the session was unexpectedly halted by a third red flag, adding to the series of unusual interruptions that plagued the three days of testing. Following the power outage on the opening day and the shattered glass pane on the pit straight earlier in the morning, this time, a bus was spotted driving along the run-off area at Turn 10—the same corner where Logan Sargeant spun at high speed in 2023.

As the evening temperatures dropped, lap times improved rapidly. Verstappen briefly topped the leaderboard, with Albon not far behind, continuing the impressive pace Williams displayed throughout the test. On day two, it was Carlos Sainz who set the overall fastest lap, highlighting Ferrari’s potential. However, Albon’s strong showing came on the softer C4 compound, whereas Verstappen set his time on the harder C3 tyres, making direct comparisons difficult.

Both Albon and Verstappen ran full-day programs, with the Williams driver completing a session-leading 135 laps, demonstrating strong reliability. In contrast, Verstappen’s day was disrupted by an oil system leak, limiting him to just 81 laps in total.

Elsewhere, Oscar Piastri delivered another solid performance for McLaren, replicating his teammate’s strong long-run pace from the previous day. The Australian later switched to C3 tyres, pushing himself into fourth place ahead of Gasly.

The final 30 minutes saw two spins at Turn 1, involving Verstappen and Esteban Ocon, but the biggest development came from Aston Martin. Lance Stroll, who was scheduled to drive in the morning session, was forced to withdraw due to illness, leading Fernando Alonso to take over driving duties for the final stint. However, Alonso himself was reportedly feeling under the weather, though he managed to complete the session—unlike his teammate, who was unable to return to the car.

None of the six rookie drivers took part in the final session, having either already completed their testing programs in the morning or the previous day.

Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton had a low-key end to testing, completing just 47 laps in his Ferrari, while the Scuderia racked up 113 laps overall, finishing the day with the sixth-fastest time.

With pre-season testing now complete, Formula 1 shifts its focus to the 2025 season opener in Melbourne, where teams will finally unleash their full potential in competitive conditions.

With the Bahrain tests completed, F1 now focuses solely on the World Championship. The Circus will return to the track in Melbourne for the first round of the 2025 season: FP1 is scheduled for 2:30 AM CET on the night between March 13 and 14, FP2 at 6:00 AM on March 14; FP3 will take place at 2:30 AM on the night between March 14 and 15. Qualifying will start at 6:00 AM on Saturday, March 14, and the race is scheduled for 7:00 AM on Sunday, March 15.