Leclerc set the pace at Bahrain International Circuit in the last of three days of testing, beating Russell and Zhou Guanyu of Sauber.
Once again, testing was disrupted by a broken drain cover running for a second day in a row during the morning session.
2024 Bahrain F1 test, Day 3 results:
| Pos | Driver | Team | Time | Gap | Laps | Tyres |
| 1 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1:30.322 | 74 | C4 | |
| 2 | George Russell | Mercedes | 1:30.368 | +0.046s | 67 | C4 |
| 3 | Zhou Guanyu | Sauber | 1:30.647 | +0.325s | 85 | C4 |
| 4 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull Racing | 1:30.755 | +0.433s | 66 | C3 |
| 5 | Yuki Tsunoda | RB | 1:30.775 | +0.453s | 53 | C4 |
| 6 | Alexander Albon | Williams | 1:30.984 | +0.662s | 121 | C4 |
| 7 | Oscar Piastri | Mclaren | 1:31.030 | +0.708s | 91 | C3 |
| 8 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | 1:31.159 | +0.837s | 75 | C3 |
| 9 | Carlos Sainz | Ferrari | 1:31.247 | +0.925s | 71 | C3 |
| 10 | Sergio Perez | Red Bull Racing | 1:31.483 | +1.161s | 53 | C3 |
| 11 | Nico Hulkenberg | Haas | 1:31.686 | +1.364s | 89 | C3 |
| 12 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 1:31.999 | +1.677s | 49 | C5 |
| 13 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | 1:32.038 | +1.716s | 46 | C3 |
| 14 | Lando Norris | Mclaren | 1:32.108 | +1.786s | 20 | C3 |
| 15 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | 1:32.149 | +1.827s | 47 | C3 |
| 16 | Kevin Magnussen | Haas | 1:33.053 | +2.731s | 80 | C3 |
| 17 | Esteban Ocon | Alpine | 1:33.079 | +2.757s | 55 | C3 |
| 18 | Valtteri Bottas | Sauber | 1:33.528 | +3.206s | 28 | C3 |
| 19 | Daniel Ricciardo | RB | 1:37.015 | +6.693s | 70 | C1 |
What happened in Bahrain F1 testing, Day 3?
Leclerc lapped in 1m30.322s on the C4 tyre, which won’t be in use during next weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix weekend, to set the fastest time of the day.
Russell also bolted on the C4s for his final run of the test and lapped 0.046s shy of Leclerc’s time. Zhou did likewise and got to within three tenths of a second of their pace.
Leclerc’s fastest time was 0.433s faster than Red Bull’s world champion Max Verstappen, who topped the opening day of running, who set his best time of 1m30.755s for fourth on the C3 compound that will be the season-opening event’s soft tyre.
Yuki Tsunoda was fifth in Red Bull’s junior team, RB, also running C4s, ahead of Alex Albon (Williams), Oscar Piastri (McLaren) and Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin).
Carlos Sainz’s 1m29.921s, set using the C4 tyre during yesterday’s running, remained the fastest time of the week. He was ninth quickest today, having only run in the morning.