Formula 1
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
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