Gasly sets fastest time in first practice of F1’s new era

Pierre Gasly was fastest today in the first practice session of Formula 1’s new era, taking place as part of the weekend’s festivities in the F1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix 2022 at Bahrain International Circuit.

Gasly posted a best lap of one minute 34.193 seconds under the afternoon sun as the top flight’s 20 superstar drivers took to the 5.412-kilometre desert track for the season-opening hour-long session.

The Ferrari pair of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz followed on the timesheet. Leclerc was just 0.364 seconds off Gasly’s pace in his F1-75 car while Sainz was 0.418s behind.

George Russell, competing in his maiden Mercedes practice, was fourth 0.436s back, while reigning drivers’ world champions Max Verstappen came fifth for Red Bull Racing 0.549s from Gasly.

Lance Stroll was sixth for Aston Martin, Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes seventh, and Fernando Alonso eighth for Alpine, while Yuki Tsunoda in the second AlphaTauri and Sergio Perez in the other Red Bull completed the top 10.

Completing the final classification from 11th to 20th, respectively, were Alfa Romeo rookie Guanyu Zhou, Esteban Ocon of Alpine, Williams driver Nicholas Latifi, Nico Hulkenberg for Aston Martin, Alexander Albon in the other Williams, the McLaren pair of Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo, the Haas tandem of Mick Schumacher and Kevin Magnussen, and Alfa Romeo’s Valtteri Bottas, who did not set a time.