Length: 5.417 km
Number of Laps: 57 (308.769 Km)
Best Lap: M. Schumacher - 1'30''252 (2004, Ferrari)
Record Pole: M. Schumacher - 1'30''139 (2004, Ferrari)
2005 Pole: F. Alonso - 1'32''054 (Renault)
2005 Podium: F. Alonso - J. Trulli - K. Raikkonen

After a slow start, the dying minutes of the session saw fastest time pass from World Champion Fernando Alonso in the Renault R26, to Michael Schumacher’s resurgent Ferrari, only to land finally in the lap of Jenson Button, the Englishman taking his Honda around the Sakhir circuit in 1:31.857s as the seconds ticked away.

The level of competition was such that the top three (Button, Schumacher and Alonso) were within two-tenths of a second, with fourth place man Giancarlo Fisichella, in the second Renault, just a further tenth away.

Ferrari’s promise was strengthened by Felipe Massa, the young Brazilian also topping the times at one point, finishing in a fine fourth place just a second off the best time. Behind Massa came Jacques Villeneuve, the veteran Canadian continuing the impressive showing of the BMW-Saubers with a time just shaded by Massa, Villeneuves team mate, Nick Heidfeld, finished the session in 13th position.

Having disappointed somewhat in yesterdays sessions Toyota seem to have got the bit between their teeth today, Jarno Trulli seventh and Ralf Schumacher ninth, while Mclaren-Mercedes’ woes continue.

Kimi Raikkonen managed eighth fastest time of the day, and team mate Juan Pablo Montoya who is reportedly suffering a down on power engine a distant fifteenth place.

Williams-Cosworth continue to run in the mid-field, Mark Webber tenth and Nico Rosberg 16th, along with Red Bull who saw Christian Klien and David Coulthard in 11th and 14th places respectively.

The furore surrounding Toro Rosso’s V10 engine will surely die down somewhat as Vitantonio Liuzzi and Scott Speed wound up in 19th and 20th places, behind the two Midland-Toyotas of Cristijan Albers and Tiago Monteiro, while expected back of the grid runners Super Aguri filled the last two places, Takuma Sato five seconds from the leading pace.