Ferrari made a strong statement, claiming first and third positions in FP3 of the Bahrain 8 Hours. Toyota was also impressive, finishing just 0.012 seconds behind the leaders.
8 Hours of Bahrain FP3 results – Hypercar class
The third free practice session at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir has concluded, marking the final session before Hyperpole qualifying. FP3 allowed teams to fine-tune their setup adjustments ahead of the decisive session. Weather conditions remained stable, with air temperatures about three degrees lower than FP1, at 28.1°C, while the track temperature reached 35.3°C, seven degrees cooler than during the opening practice.
FP3 featured only one red-flag stoppage, lasting roughly ten minutes. The remainder of the session ran smoothly.
The standout in Hypercar class was the Ferrari 499P #50, posting a lap time of 1:49.725. Just 0.012 seconds behind was a resurgent Toyota GR010 #7, which set a time of 1:49.737. In third place was the other Ferrari 499P, the privateer AF Corse entry, clocking in at 1:50.064, three-tenths off the top time.
Aston Martin also delivered a strong performance, with one of the two Valkyrie cars finishing in the top 10, while Peugeot placed both of its entries within the top ten. Long-run testing was prevalent, with Ferrari, Toyota, Peugeot, and Cadillac all showing promising pace. The official Porsche entries remained further back in the order.
8 Hours of Bahrain FP3 results – LMGT3 class
The LMGT3 category also completed its second free practice session recently. As usual, this class showcased a close battle among the teams, with minimal gaps and little room for easy predictions.
At the top after an hour of running was the Iron Lynx Mercedes #61, posting a lap time of 2:03.158. In second place, just 0.376 seconds behind, was the Lexus #78 of the Akkodis ASP Team with a time of 2:03.534. Completing the virtual podium was the other Akkodis ASP Team Lexus #87, clocking 2:03.605, only 0.447 seconds off the lead. One of the two Ferrari 296 #21 cars finished strongly in fourth place, half a second from the top, while the Porsche entries were still trailing behind.
The focus now shifts to qualifying and Hyperpole, scheduled for 14:00 local time.
Leave a Reply