Leclerc Tops Session 1 of Pre-Season Testing at Bahrain

Charles Leclerc emerged as the fastest driver during the final morning of pre-season testing at the Bahrain International Circuit, recording a time of 1:30.811. This performance edged out Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli by just 0.077 seconds, while McLaren's Lando Norris secured third. The session experienced interruptions due to incidents like a broken pane of glass on the track and mechanical failures, notably for Haas's Ollie Bearman, whose engine cover malfunctioned.

Max Verstappen finished fourth while dealing with technical issues that limited his performance. Improved weather conditions allowed for better data collection compared to the colder days before. Aston Martin's driver lineup changed as Lance Stroll felt unwell, leading to Fernando Alonso stepping in. Despite the challenges, the teams were prepared to analyze their performance closely before the upcoming race in Melbourne on March 16, with the final testing session expected to resume in the afternoon.