Bahrain, FP3: Mercedes goes one-two heading into Qualifying

Hamilton on top for all three practice sessions in Bahrain

Lewis Hamilton has finished the third and final practice session in Bahrain at the top of the time sheets once again with teammate Nico Rosberg in second place. Hamilton has been the fastest driver across all three practice sessions in Bahrain, remaining on top since his race win a week ago in Malaysia.

The Mercedes duo have dominated the free practice sessions in Bahrain, looking strong as the Bahrain Grand Prix race weekend heads into Qualifying in just under two hours’ time.
The Force India of Sergio Perez went third fastest, followed by the Williams duo of Bottas and Massa. Button, Alonso, Hulkenberg, Kvyat and Raikkonen rounded out the top ten.

Jean-Eric Vergne in the Toro Rosso led the pack out onto the track to start FP3, followed the Lotuses, Ferraris, Caterhams, Suabers, Toro Rosso teammate Danill Kvyat and the Marussia of Jules Bianchi. The first laps were simply installation laps and all of the above quickly returned to their garages as Sutil, Hamilton and Perez took to the track.

Adrian Sutil, whose second practice session was cut short yesterday after stopping the car on track late in the evening, went on to complete the first flying lap of the afternoon, setting the bar at 1:44.515 in his Sauber C33.

Seven minutes in to the session and McLaren and Williams were the only two teams to have not taken to the track yet. McLaren cut their FP2 short yesterday for no particular reason, whilst Williams spent most of FP2 in their garage, seemingly comfortable with the car and not wishing to add mileage to their energy units.

Fifteen minutes in the final practice in Bahrain, and still only four cars had completed timed laps. Maldonado was quick to replace Sutil at the top of the timesheets, whilst teammate Grosjean placed second for a temporary one-two of the timesheets. Grosjean was heard complaining to the team over the radio that the car lacked in front grip though, and Kobayashi’s Caterham became the fifth car to set a fast lap. Ricciardo then replaced Maldonado in first place with a 1:39.672 with Sauber’s Esteban Gutierrez slotting into second, knocking the Lotuses down the time sheet.

Before the start of free practice 3, track officials had the kerb at Turn 4 removed after both Maldonado’s and Raikkonen’s cars were launched into the air yesterday during FP2. The removal of the kerbs proved to be a good idea as once again, Raikkonen ran wide going into turn 4 during the third and final practice, though this time stayed firmly on the tarmac.

Kevin Magnussen completed McLaren’s first lap of the day 22 minutes into the session, initially placing sixth with teammate Jenson Button still in the pit garage. Magnussen’s second fling lap moved him up a place into fifth, marking himself as the fourteenth car to set a flying lap this afternoon. Button finally took to the track 25 minutes into FP3 as Mercedes’ Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton were completing their first flying laps of the afternoon.

Rosberg had a slight slip on his first flying lap, placing him ninth to start with as Lewis Hamilton went straight into first place with a 1:37.340. Hulkenberg’s Force India then took provisional second place before McLaren’s Jenson Button knocked him into third, replacing him in second. At the halfway mark of the practice session Hamilton led from Button, followed by Hulkenberg, Kvyat, Perez and Raikkonen.

Turn 11 proved to be quite the challenge this afternoon as a heavy tailwind reaped havoc with the setup of the V6 turbo-charges cars. Maldonado, Hulkenberg, Rosberg and Vettel were all forced to run wide and off-track because of the winds. Rosberg also looked to be struggling more than teammate Lewis Hamilton this session, though the cause is assumed to be tyre management as opposed to car problems.

With just 22 minutes left in the session, Sebastian Vettel then lost the rear end of his Red Bull going into Turn 2, hitting the exit kerb and ending up in the gravel trap. Reporting to the team on the radio, Vettel said “I spun, exit of T2, and engine was off immediately.” The off will leave the team with some work t do before qualifying gets underway in just under two hours’ time.

Meanwhile, Williams drivers Bottas and Massa put in their first flying laps of the afternoon with just 18 minutes remaining, going third and fourth just behind the one-two Mercedes duo. Rosberg and Hamilton briefly traded places on the timesheets as the session was in its’ closing minutes before Hamilton regained first place.

The remaining minutes of the session were left to drivers’ swapping places behind the Mercedes duo that remained first and second. The session ended poorly once again for the Lotus team; Maldonado improved from 21st overall to 18th overall whilst Grosjean sat 20th. Sebastian Vettel, unable to return to the track after his spin, ended the session P21, just one off the Marrusia of Max Chilton in last place.

Qualifying for the 2014 Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix starts at 18:00 local time.