Mexico’s Sergio Perez took his Force India to top place in pre-season testing at Bahrain’s Sakhir circuit on Thursday while world champions Red Bull’s winter woes continued.
As the final four-day testing period got under way, Perez clocked a best time of 1min 35.290sec with Valtteri Bottas continuing Williams’ early promise with the second-best time.
Kimi Raikkonen in a Ferrari, Mercedes’ Nico Rosberg, Adrian Sutil in a Sauber and promising McLaren driver Kevin Magnussen filled out the top six.
But with the season-opening Australian Grand Prix just two weeks away, Red Bull again endured a frustrating session.
Australian driver Daniel Ricciardo clocked the team’s best time in Bahrain this winter but he was still down in seventh place.
He managed 32 laps in the morning but just seven more in the afternoon before being confined to the garage as the car endured more technical glitches.
