F1 Results Today: Bahrain Grand Prix FP3 times - Sainz fastest as Horner leaves for FIA meeting

Carlos Sainz was fastest in FP3 in Bahrain on Friday, hinting at some qualifying pace as he looks to put himself in the shop window ahead of his impending departure from Ferrari.

One intriguing sub-plot from the otherwise uneventful session involved Christian Horner's presence - and, indeed, absence - from the Red Bull pit wall.

Sky Sports commentators revealed that the under-pressure team principal took a meeting with FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem during the session, and also has a meeting lined up with F1 president Stefano Domenicali lined up on Friday.

However, things looked good on the track for Red Bull despite their team principal's divided attention, with only Sainz and Fernando Alonso going faster than Max Verstappen in the last running before qualifying.

Meanwhile Lewis Hamilton struggled for Mercedes down in 12th but still looks set to be more competitive heading into qualifying.

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F1 FP3 Results: Bahrain Grand Prix 2024

1. Carlos Sainz [Ferrari] - 1:30.824sec

2. Fernando Alonso [Aston Martin] - +0.141sec

3. Max Verstappen [Red Bull] - +0.238sec

4. Charles Leclerc [Ferrari] - +0.270sec

5. Lando Norris [McLaren] - +0.294sec

6. George Russell [Mercedes] - +0.366sec

7. Oscar Piastri [McLaren] - +0.386sec

8. Sergio Perez [Red Bull] - +0.424sec

9. Nico Hulkenberg [Haas] - +0.454sec

10. Lance Stroll [Aston Martin] - +0.572sec

11. Daniel Ricciardo [VCARB] - +0.625sec

12. Lewis Hamilton [Mercedes] - +0.628sec

13. Yuki Tsunoda [VCARB] - +0.807sec

14. Kevin Magnussen [Haas] - +0.847sec

15. Alex Albon [Williams] - +1.141sec

16. Zhou Guanyu [Kick Sauber] - +1.176sec

17. Valtteri Bottas [Kick Sauber] - +1.272sec

18. Esteban Ocon [Alpine] - +1.300sec

19. Logan Sargeant [Williams] - +1.301sec

20. Pierre Gasly [Alpine] - +1.558sec

How does F1 Qualifying work?

The 60-minute qualifying session is split into three finite windows which provides a dramatic prelude to Saturday's big race.

The bottom five drivers are eliminated at the end of Q1, with a further five eliminated after Q2.

Then Q3 gives us a shootout between the remaining 10 drivers in the battle for positions at the front of the grid.

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