Final day of pre-season testing from Sakhir - Verstappen fastest
Red Bull reveal new upgrade as Hamilton unhappy with Mercedes car
Horner now happy with Mercedes design following complaints on Thursday
F1 2022 season opener takes place in Bahrain next weekend
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Maybe Charles is already showing us his title potential?
The Monegasque driver has managed to shift the Red Bull of Max Verstappen off the top of the timing tower with a 1:32.415 on the soft tyres.
Picture the scene...
The fireworks are illuminating the night sky in Abu Dhabi as the title is handed over to a new world champion.
After all the hype in pre-season, it's a Ferrari driver who has triumphed after a long (and hopefully exciting) campaign.
But which Scuderia man would you back to bring the glory days back to the Italian team?
Hit the left thumb if you think Charles Leclerc.
Or click the right thumb if you think Carlos Sainz.
Image source, Getty ImagesSpeaking of Charles Leclerc and the Scuderia...
Two of the afternoon runners are occupying the top spots on the leaderboard.
Max Verstappen's marker of 1:32.645 is yet to be beaten but the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc has moved up into second, 0.42secs behind the Dutchman.
Spanish journalist Albert Fabrega is outside the Red Bull garage to catch a glimpse of the RB18.
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Schumacher is back in the garage after his spin.
Fernando Alonso, meanwhile, is grappling with his gloves as he gets ready to climb into the Alpine for another run out.
A red flag has been waved as Mick Schumacher loses the rear of the Haas and screeches across the track as he locks up.
I suppose watch this space over the next few days to see how the situation with Daniel Ricciardo's Covid-19 situation pans out and whether Oscar Piastri will be called upon next weekend.
Rich/Ben, a possible answer...
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Image source, Getty ImagesIndex fingers away.
I asked you a few entries ago to choose which driver would grab the first race win for McLaren this season: Daniel Ricciardo or Lando Norris?
He's had more time in the new car, so no surprise that Lando has taken this one, notching up 2,390 of your thumbs.
Image source, .Rich/Ben, I'll try and find the answer out...
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Rich Dixon: Don’t McLaren have a reserve driver?! Lando must be shattered!
Ben Offiler: Why aren't McLaren giving their reserve driver a go?
Chris Medland
F1 journalist in Bahrain
Image source, Chris MedlandNot a great week for McLaren, who had hoped new brake components brought in from the factory today would solve their front-axle overheating issues.
Instead, Lando Norris keeps doing short runs and returning to the pits, where the brakes are inspected and the engine cover comes off.
There appear to be multiple issues for the team right now, and Norris said in the news conference earlier that they had more to solve than Mercedes, after Lewis Hamilton spoke about his own team’s troubles.
Frontrunner Max Verstappen is on a set of medium tyres at the moment, with Sebastian Vettel and George Russell putting the red-banded soft tyres through their paces.
Verstappen is into the pits for a leisurely stop. No world records are going to be broken by the Red Bull crew today.
That's it for the Dutchman for the time being. His car is pulled back in for a bit of tinker after that quickest run of 1:32.645.
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George Russell makes his way back out onto the track to test the Mercedes once again.
He's reached the 40-lap mark but the Silver Arrow isn't knocking on the Red Bull door yet. Russell is currently 1.578 seconds off the pace of Max Verstappen.
1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) - 1:32.645
2. Sergio Perez (Red Bull) +0.46s
3. Guanyu Zhou (Alfa Romeo) +1.314s
4. Sebastian Vettel (Aston Martin) +1.314s
5. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) +1.414s
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Chris Lord: The most exciting rule they are bringing the back the rule where ‘young drivers’ must do free practice across all teams in the season, like they did in the noughties. See some new talent.
Rob Vale: Even if Mercedes are hiding pace, I’m not sure they can hide stability. Car looks loose and not as on rails as that Ferrari. Is the horse about to prance again.
George Russell will almost certainly be feeling queasy after that run.
The Mercedes is bouncing around as the 24-year-old struggles with the balance of the car.
Russell has completed 36 laps and lies in seventh place with a time of 1:35.140.