Red Bull’s Max Verstappen off to flying start in F1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix at BIC

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen off to flying start in F1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix at BIC

• Drugovich sets F2 Practice pace
• Van Kuijk tops Porsche First Practice
• Plenty of off-track entertainment at BIC’s F1 Village

Max Verstappen was the fastest man in the First Practice of the new Formula 1 season today, kicking off the weekend’s action in the season-opening Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix 2021 at Bahrain International Circuit (BIC).


The Red Bull Racing driver steered his RB16B contender to a best lap time of one minute 31.394 seconds around BIC’s 5.412-kilometre track.


All 20 of F1’s star talents took to the Sakhir circuit for the hour-long session, which was held in warm conditions in the daytime. The F1 runners return later this evening for a Second Practice, to be held under BIC’s bright floodlights, starting at 6pm.


The weekend’s Third Practice will take place Saturday (Editor’s note: March 27) between 3pm and 4pm, which will set the stage for Qualifying that evening starting at 6pm. The 57-lap Bahrain Grand Prix will then be held Sunday (March 28) at 6pm.


Tickets to the F1 mega event are still available for all COVID-19 vaccinated or recovered individuals. They are being sold at a single discounted price of BD100 across stands. Comprehensive measures are in place at the circuit at all times to ensure spectators can enjoy the excitement of F1 in a safe environment.


Tickets can be purchased online at BIC’s official website, bahraingp.com, or at the sales marquee located next to Sakhir Petrol Station right before reaching BIC. Tickets are also available at BIC’s stand at City Centre Bahrain, located on the ground floor near gate number three in the West Court. The stand is operational every day between 10am and 10pm.

Gates open to the public at 11am on Saturday.


In F1’s First Practice today, Verstappen picked up from where he left off in pre-season testing, powering straight to the top of the timesheet. He completed a total of 12 laps in the session.


Valtteri Bottas for constructors’ world champions Mercedes was right behind 0.298 seconds off the leading pace, while Lando Norris came third for McLaren 0.503s behind Verstappen.


Defending drivers’ world champion Lewis Hamilton (+0.527s) was fourth in the other Mercedes and Charles Leclerc (+0.599s) fifth for Ferrari, while Sergio Perez (+0.677s) in the second Red Bull car made it into the top six.


Pierre Gasly (+0.801s) for AlphaTauri and Carlos Sainz (+0.972s) in the other Ferrari rounded out the top eight.


Completing the First Practice classification from ninth through 20th, respectively, were Daniel Ricciardo (McLaren), Antonio Giovinazzi (Alfa Romeo), Kimi Raikkonen (Alfa Romeo), Sebastian Vettel (Aston Martin), Lance Stroll (Aston Martin), Yuki Tsunoda (AlphaTauri), Esteban Ocon (Alpine), Fernando Alonso (Alpine), George Russell (Williams), Nicholas Latifi (Williams), Mick Schumacher (Haas) and Nikita Mazepin (Haas).


Drugovich sets F2 Practice pace


Felipe Drugovich set the Practice pace today in the FIA Formula 2 Championship, supporting this weekend’s Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix at BIC.


Drugovich powered his Uni-Virtuosi car to a best lap of 1:45.340. He completed 16 laps in the session.

Dan Ticktum of Carlin was classified second with a lap of 1:45.481 while Liam Lawson of Hitech Grand Prix came third with a time of 1:45.628.


The 22-car F2 field will be back for Qualifying later today.