The Formula One activities are formally underway as teams engaged in the first of three pre-season evaluations scheduled in Bahrain.
SAKIR, Bahrain—Wednesday was the first time that the ten teams (with a reconstituted field from 2023) were on the track together. But while the season is new, Wednesday’s outcome was not. Max Verstappen and Red Bull came out on top.
Defending champ Max Verstappen made it quite clear that he has not lost any of his talents by posting the fastest time of 1:31:334, along with having a gap of more than a second ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris. Carlos Sainz, in his final season with Ferrari, finished third.
Daniel Ricciardo took fourth with his Visa Cash App Red Bull entry, proving he still has a chance to convince individuals that he can move up to a better team. Alpine’s Pierre Gasly, following a result of last position earlier in the day, took fifth in the afternoon, with Lance Stroll next in the Aston Martin. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc followed in seventh but was disappointed with his Ferrari. Fernando Alonso took eighth in the second Aston Martin. The top ten finished with McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Sauber’s Zhou Gungyu.
An impressive Logan Sargeant was 11th in his Williams despite spinning off the circuit earlier in the day. George Russell, driving the Mercedes by himself, finished a disappointing 12th, while Yuki Tsunoda followed in the second Visa Cash App Red Bull. Valtteri Bottas in the second Sauber and Alex Albon, who took over in the afternoon in the second Williams, were 14th and 15th. Alpine’s second driver, Esteban Ocon, was 16th, and as expected, the Haas group of Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg rounded out the 18 testers.
The second day of testing resumes on Thursday.
