F1 | Bahrain Test, Day 1: only Max ahead of the Ferrari

Where were we? Red Bull opens the 2024 Formula 1 pre-season tests in Sakhir, Bahrain, immediately setting the best time in the morning session with the RB20, the most anticipated single-seater not only because it is the daughter of the dominant RB19, but also for the numerous solutions that over the last two weeks they have aroused a lot of curiosity.

Max Verstappen stopped the clock in 1'32″548 using a set of C3 compounds (which will be the Soft during the Bahrain Grand Prix weekend). In testing, it is usually wrong to focus on the times, because they are not very indicative and not a reflection of the reality that is usually seen in the first race weekend. This does not mean that this reference is not important because it is already 3 tenths faster than the best time on the first day of testing in 2023, which was also achieved by Max Verstappen in 1'32″837.

The RB20, driven by the three-time world champion, immediately seemed very constant, especially on long runs, although the quantity of petrol on board was evidently lower than that used by his direct pursuers. 66 laps completed by the Dutchman, who will continue to lap also in the afternoon.

Behind the queen are the pretenders to the throne, with Ferrari and Aston Martin observing her. Charles Leclerc achieved the second time of the morning in 1'33″247, 7 tenths behind Verstappen's reference. For the Monegasque, the awareness of having equaled his time achieved on the first day of testing in 2023, but the more promising seems to come from the handling of the SF-24, precise when turning in and much less grumpy than its progenitor.

The race simulation was also interesting, with Leclerc appearing to be fairly consistent in his times, being quicker than Fernando Alonso, probably on the track with a very similar fuel load. The Asturian brought Aston Martin to third place, 837 thousandths behind Verstappen, but he was also the most active driver this morning with 77 overall passes: almost a grand prix and a half.

After a sly start, Oscar Piastri took the McLaren MCL38 to fourth place, but he is the first driver to be more than second behind Verstappen (1″110). Behind him is another highly anticipated single-seater, the Racing Bulls VCARB Yuki Tsunoda's 01. The Japanese also starred in an interesting stint at the end of the morning, but the impression is that the potential of the Faenza single-seater is still yet to be discovered.

Final gasp for Mercedes with George Russell who brought the W15 to sixth place. On the flying lap the W15 didn't shine, finishing more than 1″6 from the reference time. Instead it seemed more at ease with the race pace, but the Briton was the second least active driver on the track with 48 laps.

2 tenths behind the silver-black Arrow is Vatteri Bottas' Sauber C44, noted more for its eccentric livery than its performance. 68 laps for the Swiss single-seater, 28 more than Alexander Albon's Williams. Grove's car made its track debut yesterday during the filming day in Sakhir, but today it was the only car to suffer problems. About 30 minutes before the end of the morning session, the Thai parked the FW46 on the side of the track, turned off and without having the opportunity to return to the pit lane.

Alpine and Haas are far behind. If it's nothing new for the latter, it wasn't a roaring start for the French team. The car is new, extreme in some concepts, but Esteban Ocon did not go beyond ninth fastest, more than 2 seconds behind Verstappen. It's too early to make judgements, but it seems that in Enstone they will have to work a lot on a car that is very different from the one that closed the 2023 season.