Formula 1: Liam Lawson improves on day three of pre-season testing, quickest in speed trap

Liam Lawson has improved on the third and final day of Formula One’s first round of pre-season testing at Bahrain’s Sakhir International circuit.

After completing 50 laps during the opening session of day two, the Racing Bulls driver was afforded the entirety of the final day and managed 119 laps all up, 83 in the day and 36 in the evening.

Those laps represent more than twice the race distance for the Bahrain Grand Prix.

While it is unknown what teams test across the three days, considering different aerodynamic setups and fuel loads, Lawson posted Racing Bulls’ best lap time of the first test, with another to be held next week.

Having posted a best lap of 1m 38.017s on day two, Lawson bettered that to record 1m 36.808s on day three, an improvement of 1.209s.

That was good enough for 12th of the 17 drivers on day three, having been 13th out of 15 on day two.

Lawson also recorded the day’s fastest top speed and hit 336km/h as he became the first driver to break the 100-lap barrier on the day.

While Lawson might have been afforded the better conditions for driving, his best mark was 0.232s better than rookie teammate Arvid Lindblad managed in the second session of day two.

Lawson’s time was 3.139s off day three’s best time and the top time of the first round of testing altogether, set by Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli with 1m 33.669s.

Mercedes are predicted to be among the leading contenders this season after Formula One’s regulation changes. Antonelli’s teammate George Russell was 0.249s back, while Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton was the best driver in a non-Mercedes-powered car, 0.540s off the leader.

Having complained about the new regulations after day two, former world champion Max Verstappen of Red Bull was 1.672s off Antonelli’s pace.

The 11 teams will have one final round of testing in Bahrain, with another three days to get to terms with their new cars from February 18 to 20.

That will be the final on-track running for the 11 teams, before the season begins in Melbourne for the Australian Grand Prix on March 8.

Alex Powell is a sports journalist for the NZ Herald. He has been a sports journalist since 2016.