Bahrain WEC Final Practice Report: Ferrari Leads the Field
In a decisive display during the final practice session at the Bahrain International Circuit, Antonio Fuoco clocked a blistering 1:49.725 in the #50 Ferrari AF Corse 499P, positioning the Italian manufacturer ahead of rival teams as they prepare for the qualifying rounds of the season finale.
Kamui Kobayashi in the #7 Toyota GR010 closely followed, setting a time of 1:49.7 but falling short of Fuoco’s mark. The privateer #83 Ferrari, also from AF Corse, completed the top three, recording a lap just three tenths off the lead.
Despite rising track temperatures, all teams used the session for critical data collection, experimenting with tire setups. The top contenders lapped with mixed tire strategies; the two leading Ferraris utilized hard tires on the left and medium on the right, while the Toyota adopted three hard tires with a single medium on the front-right.
The fourth position went to the #009 Aston Martin, with the #12 JOTA Cadillac rounding out the top five. Notably, the #99 Proton Competition Porsche returned to the track after an earlier issue, securing eighth place in the session.
In the LMGT3 category, Iron Lynx’s #61 Mercedes-AMG LMGT3 produced a standout performance. Bronze-rated driver Martin Berry achieved a 2:03.158 during a qualifying simulation, almost four tenths clear of the field. However, the fastest time of the weekend remains Finn Gehrsitz’s 2:02.613.
The session experienced a brief delay due to a red flag caused by Celia Martin’s incident while driving the Iron Dames Porsche, which sustained minor damage but returned to the pits under its own power.
Qualifying for the final event of the season is set to commence at 16:00 local time, where teams will vie for pole positions and critical championship points.
FP3 Times Summary:
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- Antonio Fuoco (Ferrari #50) – 1:49.725
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- Kamui Kobayashi (Toyota #7) – 1:49.7
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- #83 Ferrari (AF Corse) – 1:50.015
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- #009 Aston Martin – Timing TBD
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- #12 JOTA Cadillac – Timing TBD
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- #99 Proton Competition Porsche – Timing TBD
- LMGT3 Best: #61 Iron Lynx Mercedes-AMG – 2:03.158
As the teams gear up for qualifying, attention turns to tire strategies and performance consistency as they chase a strong finish to the 2025 FIA World Endurance Championship season.
