Two-time champion Fernando Alonso continued to set the pace at the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix on Saturday when he outpaced Max Verstappen in an intriguing third and final practice.

The 41-year-old Spaniard, revelling in the performance of his vastly-improved Aston Martin car, clocked a best lap of 1 minute 32.340 seconds to edge Red Bull’s two-time defending world champion by 0.005 seconds.

The Dutchman’s Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez was third ahead of seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes, Charles Leclerc of Ferrari and George Russell in the second Mercedes.

Lance Stroll, looking recovered from his wrist injuries after a pre-season cycling accident, was seventh in the second Aston Martin, ahead of Carlos Sainz in the second Ferrari and rookie Oscar Piastri of McLaren, who was not born when Alonso made his F1 debut in Melbourne 22 years ago.

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