Max Verstappen Dominates Opening Morning of Bahrain Test: Highlights from Day One

Max Verstappen kicked off pre-season testing in Bahrain by dominating the first session. The four-time World Champion topped the timesheets early on Wednesday morning.

This marking session follows the Barcelona Shakedown, where teams gathered to test their vehicles briefly. This time, all eleven teams are competing, unlike in Barcelona, where Williams sat out.

During these tests, teams alternate driving duties to maximize track time. Some drivers will switch between morning and afternoon slots, while others may take the wheel for the entire day. Verstappen, for example, will drive throughout Wednesday, starting strong in his Red Bull as the first car on the track at 10 a.m. local time.

After just 30 minutes, most teams had already been on the track, running with various setups. Alpine’s Franco Colapinto was late to join, but soon after, the real testing began. Unfortunately, the session saw its first red flag when Colapinto’s car stalled. However, the teams quickly resumed their laps once it was cleared.

Throughout the morning, drivers experienced some challenges. Lewis Hamilton spun out while Verstappen briefly locked up at Turn 1. Embracing the tension of the session, Verstappen ended the morning with a top lap time of 1m 35.433s, just ahead of McLaren’s Oscar Piastri. George Russell from Mercedes secured third, followed closely by Hamilton and Esteban Ocon from Haas.

Interestingly, rookie driver Arvid Lindblad and Williams’ Carlos Sainz had impressive performance stats, clocking the most laps—75 and 77, respectively. As the morning concluded, traffic on the track increased, leading to more intense scenarios as drivers tested out the limits of their cars.

Now, after a one-hour lunch break, teams will regroup for the afternoon session starting at 3 p.m. local time. Most teams will switch drivers, except for Red Bull, Racing Bulls, Aston Martin, and Haas, which will keep their drivers in place.

This testing phase is crucial for the teams to gather insights and fine-tune their cars before the season kicks off. Analysts and fans are curious to see how this year unfolds, especially with teams like Red Bull seemingly maintaining their edge. With more testing sessions underway, keep an eye on future updates as the competition heats up.

For a deeper dive into the ongoing testing and driver performance, check out Formula 1’s official site.

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