F1 Bahrain Testing Day 1: Verstappen puts Red Bull RB19 on top in morning session

By Mark Cipolloni

Running on Pirelli Medium compound tires like most drivers, World Driving Champion Max Verstappen turned the fastest lap on the first morning of F1 preseason testing in Bahrain.

Verstappen’s lap of 1m32.959s was 0.294s faster than Carlos Sainz Jr. in the new Ferrari and around 1-second faster than Day 1 times last year.

Alex Albon was 3rd quick for Williams but he set his time on the soft Pirelli tires.

Zhou Guanyu was 4th for Alfa Romeo while George Russell rounded out the top-5 for Mercedes.

Felipe Drugovich, who is standing in for the injured Lance Stroll, caused the first red flag when his Aston Martin stopped out on track with an electrical issue.  It was quickly resolved.

Everyone is still sandbagging, so don’t read too much into these early times.

Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton will take over from Russell in the afternoon, while Fernando Alonso will be in action for Aston Martin. Verstappen stays in the Red Bull all day today, splits time in the car with Sergio Perez on Friday, and then on Saturday Perez will be in the car all day.

Bahrain Testing Day1 Morning Times