The Spanish Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin), two-time Formula 1 world champion, who was already fastest in Friday’s testing, set the fastest time ahead of the Dutchman’s Red Bull on Saturday Max Verstappen and the Mexican Sergio Perez, in the last free practice of the Bahrain Grand Prix, the first of the World Cup; in which his compatriot Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) set the eighth time.

Leaderboards will begin at 11:30am and can be viewed on ESPN 2 and Star+.

Alonso, 41, covered the 5,412-metre Sakhir circuit in one minute, 32 seconds and 340 thousandths in the best of his thirteen laps – like the others, on the soft compound tyres, five less than Verstappen -a which he aspires to win his third consecutive title; and who shot the same times as the two-time Asturian world champion and with 106 over “Checo” Pérez, who scored the second and third time respectively.

Sainz, 28, who covered 21 laps, nine more than ‘Checo’, closed the last test – not entirely significant, given that it took place during the day and both qualifying and the race will be held with the artificial light- with the eighth time, six tenths from his compatriot.

His teammate, the Monegasque charles leclerc, set the fifth fastest time, 284 thousandths behind Alonso; from which remained 215, with the fourth fastest time of the last race, the seven times world champion English Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes).

the Canadian Lance StrollAlonso’s new teammate, he set the seventh fastest time of the session with his AMR23, 579 thousandths behind the champion from Oviedo, from whom the other Englishman from Mercedes finished at 391, George Russellwhich registered in sixth place in the standings.

The qualifying session, which will order the starting lineup for this Sunday’s race – scheduled for 57 laps to complete a course of 308.2 kilometers – will take place from 11:30 (Argentina time) and will be visible on ESPN 2 and Star+.

Timetable of the third and last free practice of the Bahrain GP:

1. Fernando AlonsoESPAston Martin1:32,340

2. Max Verstappen NEDRed Bulla 0.005

3. Sergio Perez MEXRed Bull0.106

4.Lewis HamiltonGBR Mercedes0.215

5. Charles LeclercMONFerrari 0.284

6. George Russell GBRMercedes0.391

7. Lance Stroll CANAston Martin0.579

8. Carlos Sainz ESP Ferrari 0.605

9. Oscar PiastriAUSMcLaren 0.705

10.Pierre Gasly FRAAlpine0.724

11.Esteban Ocon FRAAlpine0.776

12.Zhou GuanyuCHNAlfa Romeo0.840

13.Lando Norris GBRMcLaren 0.862

14.Kevin MagnussenDINHaas1.041

15.Nico HülkenbergGERHaas1.083

16.Yuji Tsunoda JPN Alpha Tauri 1.135

17.Valtteri BottasFINA Alfa Romeo1.289

18. Logan Sargeant USA Williams 1,325

19.Alexander AlbonTHAWilliams1.542

20. Nyck de Vries NED Alpha Tauri 1.742