Oscar Piastri set a stunning pace to lead team-mate Lando Norris at the top of the timesheet as McLaren ominously blew their rivals away in final practice to emphatically underline their status as favourites for Bahrain Grand Prix qualifying.

Although final practice, like Friday’s opening session, is always less representative at Sakhir given it takes place in warmer daylight conditions compared to the floodlit evening sessions of qualifying and the race, McLaren’s superiority this weekend appears clear whatever the conditions.

The MCL39’s advantage proved to be especially pronounced in Practice Three.

Piastri’s 1:31.646 time in the end-of-session qualifying simulations was 0.8s faster than the first non-McLaren car – Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, who took third – and more than one second clear of the rest of the field.

Norris finished second but trailed his Australian team-mate by 0.668s after making an error on what should have been his quickest lap on soft tyres.

World champion Max Verstappen, who stunned McLaren last Saturday at Suzuka to claim pole but appears firmly up against it to stage a repeat here, was only eighth with Lewis Hamilton 10th in the second Ferrari.

Mercedes pair George Russell, who had a spin at Turn 10, and Kimi Antonelli finished fourth and fifth respectively.

More to follow…

Sky Sports F1’s Bahrain GP Schedule

Saturday April 12

• 3.10pm: F2 Sprint
• 4.10pm: Bahrain GP Qualifying build-up
• 5pm: BAHRAIN GP QUALIFYING
• 7pm: Ted’s Qualifying Notebook

Sunday April 13

• 10.50am: F3 Feature Race
• 12.20pm: F2 Feature Race
• 2.30pm: Bahrain GP build-up: Grand Prix Sunday
• 4pm: THE BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX
• 6pm: Bahrain GP reaction: Chequered Flag
• 7pm: Ted’s Notebook

Formula 1 continues its triple-header in Sakhir at the Bahrain Grand Prix this weekend, live on Sky Sports F1. Stream Sky Sports with NOW – No contract, cancel anytime