By Holly Wright
Three Different Practice Leaders Sets Up Intriguing Bahrain GP Qualifying
Three practice sessions have given Formula 1 teams their final opportunity to fine-tune their cars ahead of qualifying for the Bahrain Grand Prix, but the competitive picture remains far from straightforward.
The opening two sessions produced a mixture of long-run programmes, tyre comparisons, and qualifying simulations, with the order changing as teams worked through their individual plans.
That made it difficult to draw too many conclusions from the early running, although several familiar names emerged towards the front while others appeared to be searching for performance.
By the time Free Practice 3 came around, the focus had shifted towards outright qualifying pace. The final session provided the clearest indication yet of where the leading teams stand, with Kimi Antonelli eventually setting the pace for Mercedes.
However, with Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar both inside the top three and Ferrari and McLaren also showing flashes of strong pace, the battle at the front remains open heading into qualifying.
Free Practice 1
The opening practice session provided the teams with their first opportunity to assess their cars around Bahrain, with much of the running centred on gathering data rather than chasing outright lap times.
Drivers gradually built up their programmes as they familiarised themselves with the conditions, while engineers began assessing tyre degradation, balance, and the demands of the circuit.
Max Verstappen nevertheless emerged as the early benchmark for Red Bull, setting a 1m 37.520s to finish 0.383 seconds clear of George Russell.
Isack Hadjar completed the top three for Red Bull, while Charles Leclerc was fourth for Ferrari.
Kimi Antonelli and Lewis Hamilton followed in fifth and sixth respectively, giving Mercedes and Ferrari two cars inside the top six.
Pierre Gasly was an encouraging seventh for Alpine, ahead of Racing Bulls’ Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad, while Nico Hulkenberg completed the top 10 for Audi.
McLaren had a quieter opening session, with Oscar Piastri 11th and Lando Norris 12th.
The early order was difficult to read completely, with teams running different programmes and fuel loads, but Red Bull immediately showed that it would be part of the conversation at the front.
The second session brought a greater emphasis on outright performance, with teams beginning to move towards qualifying simulations alongside their longer runs.
The switch between tyre compounds produced changes throughout the order, but it was Ferrari who emerged at the front as Charles Leclerc set a 1m 37.528s.
The margin was particularly small, with Isack Hadjar just 0.099 seconds behind and Lando Norris a further 0.038 seconds adrift in third.
Max Verstappen was fourth, followed by Lewis Hamilton and Oscar Piastri, leaving Ferrari, Red Bull and McLaren occupying the top six.
Mercedes was slightly further back, with Russell seventh and Antonelli eighth, although both remained within half a second of Leclerc.
Liam Lawson and Pierre Gasly completed the top 10, while Racing Bulls, Audi and Haas occupied the next positions.
The biggest surprise came at the bottom of the timesheet, with Colapinto more than five seconds away from the benchmark in 22nd.
FP2 therefore produced a much tighter picture than the opening session. Less than four tenths separated the top six, suggesting that several teams had the potential to challenge for the leading positions once qualifying arrived.
FP3 provided the final opportunity to answer some of the questions raised by the opening two sessions.
Leclerc initially set the benchmark before McLaren moved onto the medium tyres, with Norris immediately going six tenths faster. Piastri followed his team-mate into second.
The session was then interrupted by a red flag shortly before the halfway point after debris appeared on the circuit.
Replays showed that the debris had come from Oliver Bearman’s Haas, bringing the running to a temporary halt.
Several drivers had yet to complete representative laps at that stage, including both Mercedes drivers, Verstappen, and Hamilton, meaning the order was always likely to change once the session restarted.
When the action resumed, Red Bull joined McLaren in using the medium compound, while most of the field continued on the soft tyres.
Antonelli moved to the top with a 1m 36.924s, while Verstappen set the fastest first sector on one of his laps before appearing to lose time in traffic.
Traffic became an increasingly important factor as the circuit filled up. Hamilton was seen waving his hand after finding himself behind the slower Racing Bulls car of Arvid Lindblad, highlighting the difficulty drivers could face when attempting to find clear track.
With 15 minutes remaining, Norris and Piastri switched to the soft tyres in search of a final qualifying simulation.
Norris was unable to improve beyond third, while Piastri remained fifth. Aston Martin also showed some encouraging pace, with Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll moving up the order.
The final minutes then produced a rapid reshuffle.
Leclerc improved to split the Mercedes cars before Antonelli found further time at the top of the timesheets. Verstappen moved into second and Hadjar followed in third.
Antonelli’s 1m 36.302s ultimately remained unbeaten, leaving him 0.278 seconds clear of Verstappen.
Hadjar finished third, 0.558 seconds off the pace, with Russell fourth.
Leclerc and Hamilton completed the top six, followed by Norris and Piastri.
Colapinto finished ninth for Alpine, with Lindblad rounding out the top 10.
Bortoleto was 11th for Audi, ahead of Alonso, Gasly, Ocon, Lawson and Hulkenberg.
Bearman ended the session 17th after the earlier incident, with Carlos Sainz, Stroll and Alex Albon behind him.
Bottas and Perez completed the field.
The biggest question heading into qualifying is whether the FP3 order represents the genuine competitive picture or whether some teams still have more performance available.
Three practice sessions have produced three different names at the top of the timesheets, with Verstappen leading FP1, Leclerc topping FP2 and Antonelli setting the pace in FP3.
Red Bull has nevertheless been consistently present near the front. Verstappen was first in FP1, fourth in FP2 and second in FP3, while Hadjar finished third in FP1 and FP3 before taking second in FP2.
Ferrari has also demonstrated strong one-lap pace. Leclerc topped FP2, while both he and Hamilton finished inside the top six in FP3.
McLaren’s position is perhaps the most difficult to assess. Norris and Piastri were third and sixth in FP2, with Norris only 0.137 seconds away from Leclerc, but both dropped outside the top six in FP3.
Their earlier pace means their final positions may not tell the whole story, particularly given the different tyre programmes being completed throughout the session.
Mercedes has gradually moved towards the front as the weekend has progressed. Russell was second in FP1 before finishing seventh in FP2 and fourth in FP3, while Antonelli saved his strongest performance for the final session by setting the fastest lap of the weekend so far.
The midfield could also provide plenty of interest. Alpine’s Gasly and Colapinto have both shown flashes of pace, Racing Bulls has had Lindblad and Lawson near the top 10 at different stages, while Audi has remained competitive enough to threaten the midfield battle.
Traffic will be another factor to watch during qualifying. FP3 showed how quickly the circuit can become congested, with drivers already encountering slower cars during their flying laps.
The practice sessions therefore point towards a potentially close fight for pole involving Mercedes, Red Bull, Ferrari, and McLaren, although the exact order remains difficult to establish from practice alone.
Antonelli currently holds the fastest time, but Verstappen has been consistently near the front across all three sessions. Hadjar has also been a regular presence at the sharp end, while Leclerc, Hamilton, Norris, and Piastri have all demonstrated enough pace to remain part of the conversation.
After three varied practice sessions, qualifying will provide the clearest indication yet of the true pecking order.
The margins at the front are small, and with the leading contenders separated by less than a second in FP3, the fight for pole remains wide open.
