F1 SAKHIR GP: VERSTAPPEN HEADS BOTTAS IN FP3

F1 SAKHIR GP FP3 – Full final practice results for the Sakhir Grand Prix at the Bahrain International Circuit, Sakhir, round 16 of the 2020 F1 world championship season.

Max Verstappen set the pace in final practice ahead of qualifying for the Sakhir Grand Prix in Bahrain, with Valtteri Bottas second and Friday pacesetter George Russell only seventh.

Verstappen took top spot from Bottas by two tenths of a second with 10 minutes remaining.

The Mercedes drivers completed their qualifying simulation runs a few minutes earlier than the Red Bull, leaving the pits on their fresh sets of soft tyres with 18 minutes left.

Bottas comfortably held the edge over Russell, although the Finn left some time on the table by going wide at the final corner.

Russell tried to go for another quick time after a couple of cool-down laps, but he locked up at the first corner and had to abandon the attempt.

2020 F1 SAKHIR GRAND PRIX – FREE PRACTICE RESULTS (3)

POS	DRIVER	NAT.	TEAM	TIME
1	Max Verstappen	NED	Aston Martin Red Bull Racing	0:54.064
2	Valtteri Bottas	FIN	Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One Team	0:54.270
3	Pierre Gasly	FRA	Scuderia AlphaTauri Honda	0:54.427
4	Esteban Ocon	FRA	Renault F1 Team	0:54.453
5	Lando Norris	GBR	McLaren F1 Team	0:54.606
6	Alexander Albon	THA	Aston Martin Red Bull Racing	0:54.629
7	George Russell	GBR	Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One Team	0:54.664
8	Sergio Perez	MEX	BWT Racing Point F1 Team	0:54.678
9	Lance Stroll	CAN	BWT Racing Point F1 Team	0:54.693
10	Carlos Sainz	SPA	McLaren F1 Team	0:54.720
11	Antonio Giovinazzi	ITA	Alfa Romeo Racing Orlen	0:54.845
12	Daniil Kvyat	RUS	Scuderia AlphaTauri Honda	0:54.850
13	Charles Leclerc	MON	Scuderia Ferrari	0:54.854
14	Daniel Ricciardo	AUS	Renault F1 Team	0:54.857
15	Sebastian Vettel	GER	Scuderia Ferrari	0:54.858
16	Kimi Raikkonen	FIN	Alfa Romeo Racing Orlen	0:55.171
17	Kevin Magnussen	DEN	Haas F1 Team	0:55.347
18	Nicholas Latifi	CAN	Williams Racing	0:55.493
19	Pietro Fittipaldi	BRA	Haas F1 Team	0:55.666
20	Jack Aitken	GBR	Williams Racing	0:55.670

The gap between the Mercedes drivers was big enough to enable star midfield runners Pierre Gasly, Esteban Ocon and Lando Norris to get between them, as well as the second Red Bull of Alex Albon in sixth.

Sergio Perez, Lance Stroll and Carlos Sainz Jr completed the top 10.

One of the notable drivers missing from the top half of the field was Daniel Ricciardo, whose qualifying simulation effort was ruined with a lock-up at Turn 1 and a messy, sparking run across a big kerb through the middle sector, which left him down in 14th place.

That put him just behind the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc, who suffered a spin at the final corner just as the chequered flag came out to end the session.

Leclerc’s team-mate Sebastian Vettel ended his session early when Ferrari decided to change his engine ahead of qualifying. The German was classified 15th.

F1 SAKHIR GP: VERSTAPPEN HEADS BOTTAS IN FP3 F1 SAKHIR GP: VERSTAPPEN HEADS BOTTAS IN FP3

VETTEL SPINS IN FERRARI’S BACKYARD

KEEP UP TO DATE WITH ALL THE F1 NEWS VIA Facebook AND Twitter