Max Verstappen showed his dominance on the first day of Bahrain pre-season testing, setting an impressive lap time of 1:32.837 and completing a remarkable 157 laps in the Red Bull car. The Dutchman was more than a second quicker than anyone else on the track, demonstrating his speed and determination to challenge Mercedes for the title this season.
F1 Bahrain Pre Season Testing Day One timesheet:
| Driver | Team | Time | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Verstappen | Red Bull | 1:32.837 | 157 |
| Alonso | Aston Martin | 1:32.866 | 60 |
| Sainz | Ferrari | 1:33.253 | 72 |
| Leclerc | Ferrari | 1:33.257 | 61 |
| Norris | McLaren | 1:33.762 | 40 |
| Hamilton | Mercedes | 1:33.508 | 81 |
| Albon | Williams | 1:33.671 | 74 |
| Zhou | Alfa Romeo | 1:33.723 | 67 |
| Russell | Mercedes | 1:34.174 | 69 |
| Sargeant | Williams | 1:34.324 | 75 |
| Hulkenberg | Haas | 1:34.424 | 51 |
| Bottas | Alfa Romeo | 1:34.558 | 71 |
| De Vries | AlphaTauri | 1:34.559 | 83 |
| Drugovich | Aston Martin | 1:34.564 | 40 |
| Tsunoda | AlphaTauri | 1:34.671 | 46 |
| Gasly | Alpine | 1:34.822 | 60 |
| Ocon | Alpine | 1:34.871 | 52 |
| Piastri | McLaren | 1:34.888 | 52 |
| Magnussen | Haas | 1:35.087 | 55 |
Alonso’s Impressive Debut for Aston Martin
Fernando Alonso made a strong start to his Aston Martin career, finishing just 0.029 seconds behind Verstappen in P2. The Spaniard had a slight setback in the morning session due to a floor issue, but he managed to recover and put in an impressive lap time in the afternoon. Alonso’s performance was certainly a positive sign for the ambitious Aston Martin team, who are hoping to make significant strides this season.
Sainz Shows Early Pace for Ferrari
Carlos Sainz set the early pace in the morning session, clocking a 1:33.767 in the Ferrari SF-23. The Spaniard continued to show impressive pace throughout the day, finishing third on the timesheets. Sainz will be looking to carry his form into the season proper, as he aims to establish himself as a front-runner in the Ferrari team.
Leclerc, Norris, and Hamilton in the Mix
Charles Leclerc put in an impressive performance to finish fourth on the timesheets, just 0.004 seconds behind Sainz. Lando Norris finished fifth with a time of 1:33.762, while Lewis Hamilton was sixth with a time of 1:33.508. Hamilton will be looking to improve his form as testing continues, as he seeks to defend his title against the likes of Verstappen and the improving Ferrari and Aston Martin teams.
Positive Start to Testing with Few Issues
Overall, it was a positive start to pre-season testing for all the teams, with few major issues to report. There was a brief red-flag period when Felipe Drugovich’s Aston Martin stopped due to an electronic issue, but the Brazilian was able to return to the track after repairs.
With two more days of testing to go, the teams will be looking to build on their early momentum as they fine-tune their cars ahead of the season opener in Bahrain.