Max Verstappen and Red Bull Racing resumed their dominance from the previous season, setting the pace in the first morning of Formula 1 2024 pre-season testing at the Bahrain International Circuit. Despite encountering challenges at Turns 5 and 8, Verstappen, the reigning world champion, clocked a time of 1:32.548. Notably, he also managed to complete more than a race distance using Pirelli’s harder tire compounds, marking a productive start to the day.
The morning session results saw Verstappen leading the pack with 66 laps completed, followed by Charles Leclerc from Ferrari, who trailed by 0.699 seconds after 64 laps. Fernando Alonso from Aston Martin secured the third spot, 0.837 seconds behind Verstappen, after completing 77 laps. McLaren’s Oscar Piastri finished fourth, 1.110 seconds off the pace, with 57 laps under his belt. Yuki Tsunoda from RB and George Russell from Mercedes rounded off the top six, despite Russell spending a significant amount of time in the garage for car adjustments.
George Russell was the first driver to hit the track as the green light signaled the start of the session, sparking a flurry of activity as teams eagerly tested the capabilities of their new vehicles. Charles Leclerc followed closely behind, with Fernando Alonso in his Aston Martin not far behind. McLaren’s Oscar Piastri secured the fourth spot, with RB’s Yuki Tsunoda and Mercedes’ George Russell completing the top six, despite Russell’s extensive time in the garage for car adjustments.
In the final minutes of the session, George Russell made a push to surpass Sauber’s Valtteri Bottas and Williams’ Alex Albon, who, along with Esteban Ocon, encountered their own share of incidents on the track.
Overall, the morning session of Formula 1 2024 pre-season testing saw Max Verstappen and Red Bull Racing setting the pace, with several other teams and drivers showing promising performances. The session provided valuable insights into the capabilities of the new cars and tire compounds, setting the stage for an exciting and competitive season ahead.
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