Live: F1 Bahrain pre-season test - Day 3 | Live text

After Max Verstappen topped the opening day and Zhou Guanyu went fastest yesterday, on-track action resumes from 07:00 GMT (10:00 local time).

All three days follow the same schedule, with running taking place from 10:00 until 14:15, and from 15:15 until 19:30 (all local time), pausing for a lunch break.

All 10 teams are set to be in action for the Bahrain pre-season test, the only opportunity teams will have to properly put their cars through their paces before the 2023 season proper gets under way next weekend.

More: F1 Bahrain test driver line-up

The Bahrain pre-season test will take place on 23-25 February ahead of the 2023 F1 season opener at the same venue, the Bahrain Grand Prix, on 3-5 March.

By: Haydn Cobb, Tom Howard, Lewis Duncan, Stephen Lickorish, Megan White

Summary


	Summary Perez sets the pace on the final day of F1 pre-season testing from Hamilton Leclerc led this morning's session from Russell and Drugovich Bottas' Alfa stopped on track this morning, while there was a brief stoppage early on to retrieve a sensor that fell off the Red Bull
	Leaderboard Perez, Red Bull, 1m30.305s, C4 - 133 laps Hamilton, Mercedes, 1m30.664s, C5 - 65 laps Bottas, Alfa Romeo, 1m30.827s, C5 - 131 laps Leclerc, Ferrari, 1m31.024s, C4 - 67 laps Sainz, Ferrari, 1m31.036s, C4 - 76 laps Tsunoda, AlphaTauri, 1m31.261s, C4 - 79 laps Magnussen, Haas, 1m31.381s, C4 - 95 laps Russell, Mercedes, 1m31.442s, C5 - 83 laps Alonso, Aston Martin, 1m31.450s, C4 - 80 laps Drugovich, Aston Martin, 1m32.075s, C5 - 77 laps Norris, McLaren, 1m32.160s, C3 - 37 laps Gasly, Alpine, 1m32.762s, C3 - 56 laps Albon, Williams, 1m32.793s, C5 - 136 laps Ocon, Alpine, 1m33.257s, C3 - 76 laps Hulkenberg, Haas, 1m33.329s, C3 - 77 laps Piastri, McLaren, 1m33.655s, C3 - 44 laps De Vries, AlphaTauri, 1m38.244s, C3 - 87 laps

Status: Stopped

18:42 With that, it is time to sign off our live coverage of F1 pre-season testing. Thank you for joining us across the last three days, it has been a blast, and we do it again with the Bahrain GP on the 3-5 March. Until then, go well!

Lando Norris, McLaren MCL60

Photo by: Mark Sutton

18:37 Here's a round-up on today's action, hot off the press: https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/2023-f1-bahrain-test-perez-ends-pre-season-on-top/10436535/

18:33 Never fear, not long until F1 cars are back on track again. First practice at the Bahrain GP starts at 11:30am GMT on Friday. Until then, we wait.

18:30 The red flags are out for the final time today so that's your lot. 2023 F1 pre-season testing is officially over.

18:28

18:28 Now it is time for one-by-one standing practice starts which are far more sedate. Boring, let's call them what they are.

18:26 The practice rolling start ends up with three abreast into Turn 1, Tsunoda leading from the battling Perez and Bottas as Norris backs out of it. Then Bottas dives up the inside of Perez to take second! Well, not really, but that was fun.

18:23 Tsunoda leads out a seven-car train for a trial formation lap followed by a rolling start test. It is called testing for a reason, I guess.

18:20 The red flags are out for the next control systems check. After that it should be a practice start, which almost went very wrong yesterday and narrowly avoided being a multi-car pile-up.

18:18 It means Perez will end the final day on top from Hamilton, with Bottas third nipping in front of the two Ferraris.

18:17 Perez's halo has been gunged in green flow-vis paint as the day's running winds down. The last 15 minutes will be held for virtual safety car and other race controls tests so the meaningful running is complete.

18:15 It has also been an impressive showing by Ferrari, Aston Martin and Alpine for different reasons, while Mercedes has been up and down but is finishing today feeling much better than yesterday.

18:12 From our view, Red Bull has enjoyed a really strong test. Most other teams have something to focus on or worry about but the reigning champions haven't missed a beat.

18:07 We are into the embers of pre-season testing. Let us know who you think has starred and who has struggled?

18:01 It wasn't to be for Bottas, who put in a 1m31.054s so doesn't improve and stays third.

17:58 Bottas is back out on some shiny new C5s, so you know what that means. The Finn will keep it pinned next time around.

17:57 Not another one! You're joking! To quote Brenda from Bristol, Perez goes for a new quali-style lap, setting some fastest mini sectors, but he catches Norris at the final corner and doesn't improve overall.

17:52 Bottas, on the C5s, joins the party at the top of the times. The Finn goes third with a 1m30.827s to go half a second off Perez.

17:50 At Turn 10 Perez almost makes friends with the outside barrier as he carries far too much speed into the corner and drifts off track. The Mexican backs off and keeps the RB19 away from the wall but his lap is ruined.

17:48 Norris puts in an improvement on the C3 tyres of 1m32.160s to go 11th but it didn't look the smoothest of sailing for the Brit in the McLaren.