Pierre Gasly puts AlphaTauri on top in first practice of F1’s new era in Bahrain GP 2022 at BIC

Pierre Gasly puts AlphaTauri on top in first practice of F1’s new era in Bahrain GP 2022 at BIC

• Drugovich and Stanek set F2, F3 pace in respective practices
• Schuring tops times in Porsche Sprint Challenge first practice
• Fans to meet F1 stars in Autograph Session on Saturday
• Tickets continue to sell fast as University Grandstand sells out!

Pierre Gasly was fastest today afternoon 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 (BIC).

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.

F1 returns to action this evening for the weekend’s second practice, scheduled for a 6pm start under lights.

The F1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix continues Saturday (Editor’s note: 19 March) with plenty more in store for all those attending. BIC will be opening its gates to the public from 10am to 10pm.

As part of the off-track activities, fans will have a chance to meet their favourite F1 drivers in person during the Autograph Session, scheduled to be held from 12.30pm to 1.30pm next to the Main Stage at BIC’s vending area. Fans are advised to get there well in advance to avoid missing out on the popular activity.

Those attending will be able to interact with the drivers, take pictures and have their memorabilia signed.

The Autograph Session is just one of the many attractions available to the whole family at BIC’s vending area, which is located behind the circuit’s Main Grandstand.

There are also stage shows and roaming performers, thrilling rides like the Ferris Wheel and Ghost Rider, Esports and other fun F1-related activities, as well as food and beverage outlets and stalls selling official BIC and F1 merchandise.

Only a limited number of tickets to the race weekend remain as BIC has completely sold out its F1 Hospitality as well as seating on the Main Grandstand, Turn One Grandstand, Batelco Grandstand and the University Grandstand.

Tickets to the Victory Grandstand are still available. Fans are urged to get theirs as soon as possible to be a part of this historic weekend’s events. Tickets can be purchased online at bahraingp.com or by calling the BIC Hotline on +973-1745000, as well as at the sales tent located next to Sakhir Petrol Station en route to the circuit.

Gasly put in 23 laps of work in today’s first practice in his AT03 car. He continued from where he left off in pre-season testing earlier this month at BIC, when he topped the times on the first of the three days of running.

The Ferrari pair of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz followed on the timesheet. Leclerc was just under four-tenths-of-a-second off Gasly’s benchmark with a best lap of 1:34.557 in his F1-75 car, while Sainz had a quickest time of 1:34.611.

George Russell, competing in his maiden Mercedes practice, was fourth in 1:34.629, while reigning drivers’ world champions Max Verstappen came fifth for Red Bull Racing with a fastest of 1:34.742.

Lance Stroll (1:34.814) was sixth for Aston Martin, Lewis Hamilton (1:34.943) of Mercedes came seventh and Fernando Alonso (1:35.000) eighth for Alpine, while Yuki Tsunoda (1:35.028) in the second AlphaTauri and Sergio Perez (1:35.050) in the other Red Bull completed the top 10.

Rounding off 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.

Drugovich sets F2 practice pace to kick off 2022 season

Felipe Drugovich of MP Motorsport set the practice pace today in the FIA Formula 2 Championship’s opening round of the 2022 season, being held in support of the Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix 2022.

The Brazilian had a fastest lap time of 1:44.484 as the quickest in the 22-car F2 field.

Classified behind him in the 45-minute session were the Dams pair of Ayumu Iwasa from Japan and Roy Nissany from Israel. Iwasa had a best lap of 1:44.679 in second place while Nissany clocked a mark of 1:44.754 in third.