Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc set the fastest time as Formula One’s winter testing ended Friday on the same Sakhir circuit which will stage the season opener next week but he admitted world champion Max Verstappen and Red Bull have “a good head start.”

Leclerc was 0.046sec ahead of George Russell’s Mercedes while China’s Zhou Guanyu was a surprise third fastest in a Sauber. Verstappen, the overwhelming favourite to make it four titles in a row in 2024, was only fourth fastest with Japan’s Yuki Tsunoda of Racing Bulls rounding out the top five.