The Formula 1 season is officially launched.
This Thursday, the first free practice session on the Sakhir circuit on the Bahrain side gave the first small indications of the teams' performances a week after unrevealing winter tests on the same track.
It was Daniel Ricciardo, for the new Racing Bulls (ex-Alpha Tauri) which is predicted to perform much better than last year, who took the best time on soft tires (1:32.869), ahead of the two McLarens. by Lando Norris (+0.032) and Oscar Piastri (+0.244).
Max Verstappen was content with the 6th time (+ 0.369), but with intermediate tires, the second best lap with this rubber, only ahead of the Aston Martin of Fernando Alonso (+ 0.324).
Alpine at the back of the pack
On the Alpine side, there is already reason to be a little worried.
Projected last in pure performance for qualifying due to the overweight of the car and a power deficit on its engine, the French team is stagnating for the moment at the end of the peloton.
Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon set the 17th and 18th times respectively with medium tires.
Only the two Haas single-seaters did less well.
The only reassurance is that the first free practice session almost never reveals the full potential of the cars and instead remains an opportunity to test the teams' first settings.
Let's go for the first free tests of the 2024 season 🔥#BahrainGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/Wvko9TBDFa
— CANAL+ F1® (@CanalplusF1) February 29, 2024
The entire grid will meet at 3:45 p.m. for the second free practice session.
Qualifying is scheduled for this Friday at 4:40 p.m., before the race, once scheduled for Saturday at 4 p.m.