Max Verstappen looks to be the big pole favourite at the F1 2021 season-opening Bahrain GP after the Red Bull driver completed a dominant practice hat-trick on Saturday - with a big advantage over Mercedes.
Verstappen has been the fastest driver in any conditions so far this weekend - and that was the case again in a baking-hot final practice as he continued his and Red Bull's momentum with an impressive time that was some 0.7s faster than Lewis Hamilton, his closest challenger.
Valtteri Bottas struggled and was only fourth in the other Mercedes, who have failed to top any practice session at an opening F1 weekend of the season for the first time since their hybrid-era title streak started in 2014.
With Sergio Perez fifth for Red Bull, it appears to be a Verstappen vs Hamilton fight for pole - with the first qualifying of the season live at 3pm on Sky Sports F1, with build-up from 2pm.
"I think we're all wondering how that just happened," said Sky F1's Jenson Button
"Really impressive. One, because Max is 1.3 seconds ahead of Sergio Perez, his team-mate who is no slouch.
"And, two, to be seven tenths up on Lewis...I'm really looking forward to see if he can carry that on to qualifying.
"Mercedes will be quicker in qualifying, when the conditions will be cooler, but Max is on it every time."
The midfield battle is difficult to predict after a session in somewhat unrepresentative conditions - although AlphaTauri go into qualifying on a high after Pierre Gasly placed third.
Ferrari, despite a Charles Leclerc spin, also impressed with Carlos Sainz sixth, while Alfa Romeo and Alpine - for the first time this weekend - also made into the top-10 through Kimi Raikkonen and Esteban Ocon respectively.
Following their eye-catching pace on Friday, McLaren had a low-key final practice as Daniel Ricciardo and Lando Norris place only 10th and 16th - although the Woking team will be confident of Q3 come the shootout.
That may be a stretch for veteran world champions Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso, who were only 14th and 15th in their new Aston Martin and Alpine cars in P3.