MADRID, 21 Feb. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Dutch driver Max Verstappen (Red Bull) was the fastest in the morning session of the first day of the official Formula 1 preseason test at the Bahrain International Circuit, improving his time from last year and causing fear due to his superiority. ahead of the Monegasque Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) and an exciting Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin).
Only 10 drivers rode in a first session in Sakhir, in four uninterrupted hours of rehearsals between 8 and 12 in the morning. Thus, with the doubt of whether the teams showed some of their main cards or if they will save them for the start of the World Cup, high fuel loads and fluorescent fluid paint to control air flows were common, the great obsession of the grill for the first few minutes.
With the most revolutionary concept of 2024, Red Bull started with doubts in the first hour of filming, with several crashes and errors in the car. Therefore, Verstappen, current champion, was seen trying to tame a very runaway and nervous RB20. The times were not going well in that complicated start for the 'energetics'.
While Esteban Ocon was the first to test the gravel, Aston Martin was dedicated to testing engine maps and different aerodynamic configurations, without worrying about the times. However, Fernando Alonso, on his 29th lap, took first place with a 1:33.385. Although it didn't last long, because Verstappen put him in the next one, with the averages, three tenths, confirming that the Red Bull gear was already greased.
Leclerc did not take long to overtake the Spaniard either, on the second attempt after passing through the box, with the Monegasque clocking a good 1:33.247. Ferrari thus demonstrated that they want to continue ahead, in a session in which he only ran the '16', so Carlos Sainz will do so in the afternoon. Very different from Mercedes, which lamented engine problems for much of the session, so George Russell could only do 48 laps and without significant times.
McLaren and Oscar Piastri also made progress during the session, they learned little by little, rising to fourth place after more than two hours on the Bahrain track, to be where they are expected to be, at least, this year, after the end of the last year.
The equality between the top three was harshly broken with Verstappen's 1:32.548, seven tenths better than Leclerc in a sign that, for the moment, they are favorites and are starting to scare, beating the Dutchman's best time on the first day of testing from last year, although with clear 'track limits'.
Furthermore, the champion ran with more fuel in the last hour, but remained constant at 1:36, three seconds better than, for example, Alonso's times. The Asturian worked like the most in the final stretch of the first session and completed 77 laps, even exceeding the race distance.