Verstappen back in the RB22, Hamilton in Ferrari: Who drives day 3 in Bahrain

As with the previous two days, teams have scheduled their drivers across both sessions at Sakhir. Some will alternate between their pair, while others have opted to hand full-day duties to a single driver to maximise mileage.

The final day of the opening test will follow the same timetable, running from 8 am to 5 pm CET. Each day is split into two four-hour sessions, separated by a one-hour lunch break.

Max Verstappen is set to return to the cockpit of the RB22, replacing team-mate Isack Hadjar, who handled all of Red Bull’s running on day two. The young Frenchman managed 87 laps after the team encountered issues with its engine, but he is expected back for the afternoon session on the final day.

Lewis Hamilton will also be in action for the Scuderia Ferrari outift, taking over driving duties in the SF-26. The seven-time world champion sat out day two, with Charles Leclerc completing both sessions for the Italian team.

McLaren have chosen the single-driver approach, and Oscar Piastri is set to run the MCL40 throughout the day, the same as it was with teammate Lando Norris on the second day of running. Mercedes, meanwhile, will continue with their split strategy, with George Russell driving in the morning before handing over to Kimi Antonelli in the afternoon.