“Catch the Action: Day 1 Drivers Announced for Bahrain Pre-Season Testing”
In its long-awaited return, Formula 1 began pre-season testing in Bahrain, bringing the 10 teams together for a three-day race at the Bahrain International Circuit. On the first day, with the reveal of the drivers behind the wheel, the fans’ anticipation and excitement reached a fever pitch.
Red Bull Racing started testing on the right foot, putting Max Verstappen at the head of the morning session. Verstappen didn’t just take the time trials, he also set a new standard, breaking the record with an impressive lap of 1:31.344, completing 142 laps. The team’s first message is clear: they are ready to compete at the highest level.
Mercedes, always a strong presence, had George Russell behind the wheel on day one. Russell, who recently transferred from Williams, faced road difficulties and adapted to the new car, ending the day in 12th place but amassing a valuable 120 laps.
Ferrari decided that Charles Leclerc will share the training in the morning and Carlos Sainz in the afternoon. Solid performances from both drivers put Ferrari in a promising position, with Sainz ending the day in third place, just 1.240 seconds off the lead.
McLaren took a strategic approach by splitting the seats between Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris. Norris shone in the afternoon, finishing second on the time sheet. The team clearly has confidence in its testing abilities and its new car.
Aston Martin brought Fernando Alonso in the morning and Lance Stroll in the afternoon. Despite the cautious approach, the team performed well, with Stroll finishing sixth at the end of the day.
Alpine chose Esteban Ocon in the morning and Pierre Gasly in the afternoon, maintaining the remarkable consistency of their performances. Williams instead selected Alex Albon for the first half, while Logan Sargent for the afternoon. Unfortunately, Sargeant ran into problems and limited his participation.
RB, Red Bull’s satellite team, shared the seats between Yuki Tsunoda and Daniel Ricciardo, taking a respectable fourth place. Kick Sauber beat Valtteri Bottas early in the morning and Zhou Guanyu in the afternoon, ending the day in tenth place.
Haas completed a rigorous test program, relying on Kevin Magnussen in the morning and Nico Hulkenberg in the afternoon. Red Bull Racing’s Sergio Perez didn’t set a time, while Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton couldn’t set a fast lap either.
The first test day was not only about lap times, but also about the drivers getting used to their new cars and the teams’ first work. With Verstappen dominating at the front, expectations are high for the 2024 F1 season. Stay tuned for more updates in the coming days as teams continue to tune their cars in preparation for their big return to racing.
