- Verstappen dominates the opening day of the 2024 pre-season test in Bahrain.
- Norris secures second place for McLaren, followed by Sainz from Ferrari.
- Russell finishes twelfth for Mercedes.
- Albon encounters a fuel pump issue with Williams, halting on track with 20 minutes remaining in the morning session.
- Sargeant spins at Turn 10 but escapes major damage while driving for Williams.
Max Verstappen and Red Bull made an impressive statement as they dominated the opening day of Formula 1 2024 winter testing in Bahrain. Verstappen, piloting his new Red Bull RB20, finished more than a second ahead of the competition after completing a staggering 142 laps.
Setting the pace early in the morning session, Verstappen maintained his momentum throughout the day. He secured the top spot by clocking a blistering lap of 1m31.662s on Pirelli’s yellow-marked C3 tires, a performance that underscored Red Bull’s potential for the upcoming season.
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As the session progressed and temperatures cooled, Verstappen capitalized on improved conditions, shaving off another three-tenths of a second to seal his dominance with a lap time of 1m31.344s. This marked a significant improvement from his performance in the same session last winter.
Behind Verstappen, McLaren’s Lando Norris showed promising form, finishing second with a time of 1m32.484s after completing 72 laps. Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz followed closely in third, demonstrating a competitive start for the Scuderia.
Our extraordinary drivers for 2024 #F1 pic.twitter.com/tceFh7YfOM
— Formula 1 (@F1) February 21, 2024
Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo secured fourth place, while Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll and Alpine’s Pierre Gasly claimed fifth and sixth places respectively. Charles Leclerc of Ferrari rounded out the top seven, showcasing a strong performance in the morning session.
The day was not without its challenges, as Williams’ Logan Sargeant faced technical issues limiting him to just 21 laps, while Alex Albon’s stoppage due to a fuel pump issue disrupted his debut with Williams. Meanwhile, Mercedes’ George Russell emerged as the only other driver besides Verstappen to complete a full day of running, completing 121 laps.
As expected, Haas duo Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg found themselves at the bottom of the timesheets, although the significance of Wednesday’s times remains minimal in the broader context of the season ahead.
