Mercedes stamp authority as Russell tops final Bahrain morning session

George Russell posted the fastest lap of the morning session on the third day of testing at the Bahrain International Circuit.

How the final morning session in Bahrain unfolded

The Mercedes driver set a lap just over two tenths shy of Lewis Hamilton, posting a 1:33.918 — the only time below the 1:34 barrier and the fastest effort of the combined three-day test so far

The final morning of the three-day Bahrain test kicked off with several drivers, including Russell, among the earliest to hit the track. Following several installation laps, Williams driver Carlos Sainz lit up the timing sheet, posting a time of 1:37.761 on medium tyres.

However, the time set by the Spaniard was quickly eclipsed by Russell, who on soft compound tyres went about three tenths quicker – 1:34.821.

Photo: Race Pictures

The Mercedes driver would remain in the lead, albeit with Max Verstappen climbing to second place ahead of Sainz. The running order was temporarily disrupted by a red flag courtesy of Valtteri Bottas.

The Cadillac driver stopped in the second sector on the Sakhir track. However, after his car was moved off the track, Hamilton stormed to second place on the timing sheet.

The seven-time world champion posted a time of 1:34.209 to push Verstappen further down the order and sit just two tenths behind Russell.

The final hours unfolded quietly with most drivers switching to long-run simulations. Russell was a standout in that respect, completing an almost full race simulation and showing strong pace on every compound he ran. Below are the full results.

Bahrain F1 pre-season testing day 3: Full Results morning session

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