Verstappen Tops First Morning Session in Bahrain as Red Flag Halts Running

Max Verstappen set the fastest time in the opening pre-season test session in Bahrain, but the morning's running was interrupted by a red flag. The reigning champion's benchmark on medium tires was narrowly ahead of Oscar Piastri, while several teams, including Williams, finally got their new cars on track for the first time.

Why it matters:

The first day of pre-season testing is a critical initial indicator of a team's winter development progress and the reliability of their new car. While lap times are not fully representative due to varying fuel loads and run plans, consistent running and trouble-free mileage are the primary goals for teams looking to start the season strongly.

The details:

• Verstappen's best time of 1:35.433 on medium tires put him just 0.169 seconds clear of McLaren's Oscar Piastri, with George Russell a further half-second back in third for Mercedes.
• The session was red-flagged when Williams driver Franco Colapinto stopped on track after completing only 17 laps, halting the action.
• Early Shuffling: The timing sheet was volatile early on, with times initially over six seconds slower before drivers found pace. Esteban Ocon in the Haas was the first to dip into the 1:30s, briefly leading on soft tires before Verstappen responded.
• Team Mileage: Racing Bulls rookie Arvid Lindblad (75 laps) and Williams' Carlos Sainz (77 laps) were the busiest drivers, focusing on data collection and reliability. Lewis Hamilton completed 51 laps despite a spin that brought out a yellow flag.
• Car Debuts: The session marked the track debut for the Williams FW48, which missed the Barcelona shakedown, and saw Alpine as the last team to join the running.

What's next:

The afternoon and evening session will provide four more hours of running under lights, offering conditions more representative of the upcoming Grand Prix weekend. Teams will continue their programs, shifting focus to longer runs, tire compound comparisons, and gathering data in cooler track temperatures.

| Pos | Driver | Best lap | Gap | Laps | | --- | ----------------- | -------- | ------ | ---- | | 1 | Max Verstappen | 1:35.433 | — | 63 | | 2 | Oscar Piastri | 1:35.602 | +0.169 | 54 | | 3 | George Russell | 1:36.108 | +0.675 | 54 | | 4 | Lewis Hamilton | 1:36.433 | +1.000 | 51 | | 5 | Esteban Ocon | 1:37.169 | +1.736 | 61 | | 6 | Arvid Lindblad | 1:37.945 | +2.512 | 75 | | 7 | Carlos Sainz | 1:38.221 | +2.788 | 77 | | 8 | Gabriel Bortoleto | 1:38.871 | +3.438 | 47 | | 9 | Valtteri Bottas | 1:39.150 | +3.717 | 49 | | 10 | Lance Stroll | 1:39.883 | +4.450 | 33 | | 11 | Franco Colapinto | 1:40.330 | +4.897 | 28 |