F1 testing schedule CHANGES on day three in Bahrain after red flag

Photo: © IMAGO

F1 Testing 2024

F1 testing schedule CHANGES on day three in Bahrain

The lengthy stoppage has meant the schedule for the final day has changed

Tyler Rowlinson

Friday 23 February 2024 12:30 Updated: 17:33

The schedule for the third day of F1 pre-season testing in Bahrain changed after an early stoppage on Friday.

It came after the session was red flagged following another issue with a drain cover, as Sergio Perez ran over one in the same area that Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc hit and destroyed one on Thursday.

With just around 30 minutes of the session elapsed, testing was halted as officials went through urgent track repairs and assessment, marking a longer delay than the previous day's hiatus.

Sergio Perez struck a drain cover at turn 11 which caused a red flag

The session was stopped for more than an hour

Third day testing schedule major change

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After more than an hour of stoppage, it was announced that the session would be getting back under way at 11:45 local time (early hours of the morning in the United States) and, because of the delay, the lunch break was scrapped and day three's testing will run all the way to 4pm GMT as scheduled.

Carlos Sainz had set the fastest time of the day before the delay, with Lando Norris in second and Alex Albon in third.

Carlos Sainz had set the fastest time before the delay

The F1 season itself gets underway at the same Sakhir International Circuit next week, with the 2024 Bahrain Grand Prix taking place on Saturday 2 March.

Lewis Hamilton Mercedes Charles Leclerc Sergio Perez