2017 Gulf Air Grand Prix of Bahrain

[Everso Biggyballies]

Bottom post of the previous page:

Raikkonen has yet to even do an installation lap, just siting in the car waiting. Hopefully not another Ferrari problem.

Bottas tried a timed lap just now but fired off the track and ran very wide. Apparently wind is the problem.

[Everso Biggyballies]

Grosjean into the wall after what looked like some dreadfully unstable laps. Red flag

[Everso Biggyballies]

Green flag and the cars (including Raikkonen now) file out.

[Everso Biggyballies]

Ricciardo now the only one yet to do a timed lap. Seems no issues.
Times well down (over a second) on last year. 7 minutes to go.

[PTRACER]

Not sure if it's been mentioned yet, but apparently the daytime sessions at Bahrain are "useless" according to Hamilton. The tyres are melting and the cars are overheating. Probably an explanation for the slow times.

[Everso Biggyballies]

Verstappen puts in a last minute lap to go fastest in FP3 from Hamilton, Vettel, Bottas and Raikkonen.
Times never looked like matching last years FP3. Presumably teams were running conservatively due to the heat and lack of relevance condition wise to the qualifying which will be under lights with cooler track temps.

Full list of fastest times:

Third free practice results
Pos. Driver Team Time - Laps
1. M. Verstappen Red Bull 01:32.194 - 8
2. L. Hamilton Mercedes 01:32.304 - 10
3. S. Vettel Ferrari 01:32.750 - 10
4. V. Bottas Mercedes 01:32.754 - 13
5. K. Raikkonen Ferrari 01:32.785 - 9
6. F. Massa Williams 01:32.801 - 12
7. D. Ricciardo Red Bull 01:32.809 - 8
8. N. Hulkenberg Renault 01:32.933 - 9
9. C. Sainz Jr. Toro Rosso 01:33.604 - 18
10. D. Kvyat Toro Rosso 01:33.744 - 11
11. S. Perez Force India 01:33.916 - 14
12. F. Alonso McLaren 01:33.922 - 10
13. P. Wehrlein Sauber 01:33.947 - 15
14. L. Stroll Williams 01:33.965 - 15
15. S. Vandoorne McLaren 01:34.027 - 15
16. E. Ocon Force India 01:34.064 - 17
17. K. Magnussen Haas 01:34.198 - 13
18. R. Grosjean Haas 01:34.205 - 14
19. M. Ericsson Sauber 01:34.268 - 15
20. J. Palmer Renault 01:34.417 - 11

[Everso Biggyballies]

Not sure if it's been mentioned yet, but apparently the daytime sessions at Bahrain are "useless" according to Hamilton. The tyres are melting and the cars are overheating. Probably an explanation for the slow times.

Yeah I thought the same with the lack of running we saw in FP3, with no real qualy sims like we normally see in the final minutes.

[Everso Biggyballies]

Formula 2 (nee GP2) race 1 now gridding up.

[Everso Biggyballies]

Formula 2 (nee GP2) race 1 now gridding up.

Maybe it is just showing now on our local stations as it doesnt seem to be live. Great race though.
Edit: Yes it is not live.... it was run before FP3.

[Everso Biggyballies]

Qualifying about to get under way..... will we see any dramatic time improvements now we have the cooler track temps?
To remind ourselves, last years pole time was a 1:29.493....

[Everso Biggyballies]

Bottas sets the pace to start with setting his first lap at 1:31.041, Hamilton has a nightmare and aborts his first lap.
Verstappen now a 1:30.904

[PTRACER]

Yeah, the times are finally coming down. Still I think they'll be lucky to break into the 1:27s now. Dammit.

[Everso Biggyballies]

Lewis goes fastest on softs with a 30.814

[Everso Biggyballies]

Out in Q1 goes Vandoorne, Sainz, Perez Ericsson and KMag. Sainz stopped on track with a problem.

[PTRACER]

I think we're about to see half a dozen Q3 times thrown out of the window. Sainz stopped in the final sector and a load of cars set better times.

[erwin greven]

remarkable to see Perez out.