MANAMA, Bahrain, Mar 30 – Ferrari new boy Charles Leclerc led team-mate Sebastian Vettel at the top of the times in Saturday’s third and final free practice for this weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix.

In searing heat at the Bahrain International Circuit, the 21-year-old Monegasque tyro scorched to a best lap in one minute and 29.569 seconds to outpace Vettel by 0.169 seconds.

Defending world champion Lewis Hamilton scrambled to third with a last-gasp lap for Mercedes, but he was more than seven-tenths adrift of Leclerc as Ferrari reproduced the pace shown at pre-season testing.

Hamilton’s Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas was fourth ahead of Romain Grosjean of Haas, Nico Hulkenberg in a Renault and, after a bold late lap, British rookie Lando Norris of McLaren.

Despite looking quick in mid-session, Dutchman Max Verstappen wound up down in eighth for Red Bull ahead of Carlos Sainz in the second McLaren and Russian returnee Daniil Kvyat of Toro Rosso.

The session was run in temperatures touching 39 degrees Celsius at Sakhir where windy conditions added to the difficulties on a sweltering afternoon.

Ferrari have won six times in Bahrain and Vettel is chasing his third successive victory and fifth overall.

Four-time former champion Vettel has also been on pole a record three times in Bahrain and will be keen to prevent his ‘pupil’ from upstaging the master in Saturday’s qualifying session.

Agence France-Presse is a global news agency delivering fast, in-depth coverage of the events shaping our world from wars and conflicts to politics, sports, entertainment and the latest breakthroughs in health, science and technology.

%thecontent%%avatar%

%author%

%authornetworks%

%authordescription%

%authornetworks%

Comments

%sidebar%","opedarticle":"","sidead1":"ff","sidead2":"dd","sidead3":"","homestory":"

%title%

%game%%date%Read More--","taxonomyitem":"

%title%

%game%%date%Read More------","fixtureitem":"%name1%%score1%VS%score2%%name2%%time%","home":"rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn 1rn 2rn 3rn 4rn 5rn rn rn rn

Gor hit Kariobangi Sharks to go top of KPL

rn rn Footballrn rn rn Saturday, 30th Mar 2019rn rn rn rn Read Articlern rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rnrnrnrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

More Headlines

rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Leclerc leads Vettel as Ferrari dominate againrn

rn rn Motorsrn rn rn rn 28 minutes ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Cheptegei revenges to deny Kamworor hat-trickrn

rn rn Athleticsrn rn rn rn 1 hour ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Timberwolves edge Warriors in controversial overtime finishrn

rn rn Basketballrn rn rn rn 4 hours ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Federer schools Shapovalov, books Miami clash with Isnerrn

rn rn Athleticsrn rn rn rn 3 hours ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Snow sinks two eagles to take Day One lead on Nyali’s KCB Road to the Mastersrn

rn rn Golfrn rn rn rn 18 hours ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Tiger, McIlroy book last-16 showdown at WGC Match Playrn

rn rn Golfrn rn rn rn 3 hours ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rnrnrn rn rn

Most Popular

rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Boxingrn rn rn rn rn Zarika stops hard punching Phiri to defend WBC titlern rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn rn Harambee Stars lose to Ghana to finish secondrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn rn Van Dijk house hunting after landlord Solskjaer lands Utd jobrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn rn Wait continues for Nyayo Stadium openingrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn rn Tanzania beats Uganda to qualify for AFCONrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn rn A day in the life of Harambee Stars Captain Victor Wanyamarn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn rn Kasarani miss might push Gor to Machakosrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn rn Magufuli gifts Taifa Stars players with landrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn rn Logarusic open to Kenya coaching returnrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

All Sports

rn trn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

Leclerc leads Vettel as Ferrari dominate again

rn rn rn Motorsrn rn Saturday, 30th Mar 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Cheptegei revenges to deny Kamworor hat-trick

rn rn rn Athleticsrn rn Saturday, 30th Mar 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Timberwolves edge Warriors in controversial overtime finish

rn rn rn Basketballrn rn Saturday, 30th Mar 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Federer schools Shapovalov, books Miami clash with Isner

rn rn rn Athleticsrn rn Saturday, 30th Mar 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Snow sinks two eagles to take Day One lead on Nyali’s KCB Road to the Masters

rn rn rn Golfrn rn Friday, 29th Mar 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

Poll Question

rn rn ntnttnttntt

WILL GOR MAHIA ADVANCE TO CAF CONFEDERATION CUP QUARTERS?

ntt
• YES
ntt
• NO
ntt

View Results

ntnn Loading ...n rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

Tiger, McIlroy book last-16 showdown at WGC Match Play

rn rn rn Golfrn rn Saturday, 30th Mar 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Raja Casablanca end 19-year wait for second CAF Super Cup

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Saturday, 30th Mar 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Angry Messi says son questions why Argentines criticize him

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Friday, 29th Mar 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Defiant Vettel leads Ferrari domination

rn rn rn Motorsrn rn Friday, 29th Mar 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Sports Kenya bows to pressure, Gor back at Kasarani

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Friday, 29th Mar 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Load More Storiesrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

Sponsored

rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

Featured

rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Timothy Olobulurn Gor hit Kariobangi Sharks to go top of KPLrn rn rn Viewrn rn Saturday, 30th Mar 2019rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Leclerc leads Vettel as Ferrari dominate againrn rn rn Viewrn rn Saturday, 30th Mar 2019rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn Timothy Olobulurn Cheptegei revenges to deny Kamworor hat-trickrn rn rn Viewrn rn Saturday, 30th Mar 2019rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn Timothy Olobulurn Super Obiri sizzles to World Cross goldrn rn rn Viewrn rn Saturday, 30th Mar 2019rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn Timothy Olobulurn Chebet wins Junior gold for Kenya after appealrn rn rn Viewrn rn Saturday, 30th Mar 2019rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rnrnttt","sidebar":"rn rn rntrn rn t

Most Popular

rn rn t rn t

rn tZarika stops hard punching Phiri to defend WBC titlern

rn Boxingrn rn Sunday, 24th Mar 2019rn rn rn t

rn tHarambee Stars lose to Ghana to finish secondrn

rn Footballrn rn Sunday, 24th Mar 2019rn rn rn t

rn tVan Dijk house hunting after landlord Solskjaer lands Utd jobrn

rn Footballrn rn Friday, 29th Mar 2019rn rn rn t

rn tWait continues for Nyayo Stadium openingrn

rn Footballrn rn Thursday, 28th Mar 2019rn rn rn t

rn tTanzania beats Uganda to qualify for AFCONrn

rn Footballrn rn Sunday, 24th Mar 2019rn rn rn t

rn tA day in the life of Harambee Stars Captain Victor Wanyamarn

rn Footballrn rn Wednesday, 27th Mar 2019rn rn rn t

rn tKasarani miss might push Gor to Machakosrn

rn Footballrn rn Friday, 29th Mar 2019rn rn rn t

rn tMagufuli gifts Taifa Stars players with landrn

rn Footballrn rn Monday, 25th Mar 2019rn rn rn t

rn tLogarusic open to Kenya coaching returnrn

rn Footballrn rn Wednesday, 27th Mar 2019rn rn rn rn rn trn rn rnrn rn rn rn t

Featured

rn rn trn rn rn rn rn Timothy Olobulurn Gor hit Kariobangi Sharks to go top of KPLrn rn rn Viewrn rn Saturday, 30th Mar 2019rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Leclerc leads Vettel as Ferrari dominate againrn rn rn Viewrn rn Saturday, 30th Mar 2019rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn Timothy Olobulurn Cheptegei revenges to deny Kamworor hat-trickrn rn rn Viewrn rn Saturday, 30th Mar 2019rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn Timothy Olobulurn Super Obiri sizzles to World Cross goldrn rn rn Viewrn rn Saturday, 30th Mar 2019rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn Timothy Olobulurn Chebet wins Junior gold for Kenya after appealrn rn rn Viewrn rn Saturday, 30th Mar 2019rn rn rn rn rn rn rn trn rn rn rn","articleerror":"

Oops...Something broke on our end

"},"messages":{"accessdenied":"Access to the account has been denied ","httperror":"Oops, something went wrong...please try again","contactgoogle":"Contacting Google","firsttime":"Seems this is your first time with this signin system. Please wait as we get your name","signinsuccess":"Cool. You're now signed in. This signin will close automatically now","pendingrequest":"Still communicating with the server","signedout":"Seems you were signed out. Try submitting again after you've been signed in","trackingerror":"Couldn't track Analytics","xhrnotconfigured":"To webmaster: Please confirm the xhr/ajax receptor is configured on the server","loadmore":"Load more stories"}}; /* ]]> */