F1 testing: What we learned on final day as Mercedes improve but Lewis Hamilton unhappy

Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton managed to end the final day of Formula 1 pre-season testing with much improved performance after failing to impress on Friday, although it was Sergio Perez who finished as driver on faster in another solid performance from Red Bull. Ferrari also looked dangerously fast as Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz bolstered their hopes of finally claiming season-ending honors in 2023, while Alfa Romeo endured a tough day as Valtteri Bottas suffered a worrying mechanical failure.

Express Sport looks back on five of the main talking points from day three of testing at the Bahrain International Circuit...

Mercedes managed to bounce back from a chaotic day on Friday to end the week on a high note as Hamilton finished as the second-fastest driver on track with no mechanical breakdowns to contend with. The Silver Arrows needed a crisis meeting to discuss what was wrong after a hydraulic problem ended their run on day two, but they had a much better time on Saturday as they put the W14 put to the test on the softest tires available.

Hamilton and George Russell rode hard during the day in optimal track conditions and hope to build on Saturday's much improved performance by maintaining their positive momentum at the Bahrain Grand Prix next weekend. However, it will be crucial for Mercedes to find the much-needed consistency in order to challenge Red Bull and Ferrari at the top of the standings throughout the season.

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Hamilton found time on Saturday morning to air its grievances over the FIA's plan to get rid of tire covers in 2024 after testing a new slick compound at Circuit Paul Ricard earlier this year. A phasing out of tire warming equipment has taken place in recent years and Pirelli has been pushing to develop compounds optimized to operate without warming up before next season, but Hamilton believes their introduction would raise big questions regarding driver safety.

"I think it's dangerous," he said. "I tested the absence of covers and there is going to be an incident at some point, so for safety reasons I think it is the wrong decision. You have to do several laps for the tires to work.

"The whole argument is that taking the covers off is about becoming more sustainable and greener. In fact, we're just using more fuel to get the temperature in the tires, but the most worrying thing is that when you get out, the car is spinning, it's very nervous, and if there's someone else on working tires, you could easily collide with them. It's a pointless exercise. "

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