Fernando Alonso dominates the third free practice session in Bahrain
The impression left on Friday during the second free practice session contested at night was confirmed on Saturday, in broad daylight and in the heat: the Aston Martin version 2023 is competitive. Pre-season tests are a thing of the past and we can no longer imagine that the teams are hiding anything. And in the clan of Lawrence Stroll, we can already hope for a happy first weekend, since Fernando Alonso set the best time in free practice 3, ahead of the main leaders expected this season.
With a time of 1’32″430, the Spaniard, who arrived this winter after a tumultuous start from Alpine, narrowly beat the two Red Bulls of Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez. The Dutchman is only five thousandths behind. , and the Mexican at 10 hundredths.Regularly, Alonso can therefore logically hope for a place in the top 3 of the qualifications which will start at 4 p.m.
Gasly in the top 10
Mercedes and Ferrari seem capable of fighting for the top 5: Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) finished 4th at 21 hundredths, ahead of Charles Leclerc (Ferrari, +0″284), George Russell (Mercedes, +0″391 ), Lance Stroll (Aston Martin, +0″579) and Carlos Sainz (Ferrari, +0″605).
For his first Grand Prix weekend, Oscar Piastri (McLaren) finished this session in 9th place (+0″705), ahead of the two Alpines of Pierre Gasly (+0″724) and Esteban Ocon (+0″ 776) Lando Norris (McLaren) is a little further than his teammate, with the 13th fastest time (+0″862), the last in the same second as Alonso.
