Verstappen tops Day 1 timesheet in rain-hit in-season F1 testing at BIC

Max Verstappen set the pace today in Formula 1 in-season testing at Bahrain International Circuit (BIC), which got off to a gloomy start. 

The first of two days of actionwas interrupted multiple times by heavy rain, with one stop lasting around four hours. When the skies finally cleared in the late afternoon, there was just a little under two hours remaining, and Formula 1’s star drivers quickly made up for the lost time by setting a flurry of fastest laps before the end of the sessions.

Verstappen set the pace with a best mark of 1m 29.379s while completing 62 laps on the day in his Red Bull Racing challenger.

The Dutch ace denied youngster Mick Schumacher a dream Formula 1 debut, as the son of seven-time Formula 1 World champion Michael Schumacher momentarily rose to the top of the timesheet with a lap of 1m 29.976s in his Ferrari challenger. Schumacher was able to complete 56 laps of work.

The session was red-flagged just a minute before the chequered flag was to be waved, as Lance Stroll of Racing Point grinded to a halt out on track.

Lando Norris continued his fine form after his impressive showing in last Sunday’s Bahrain Grand Prix. He was third on the timesheet with a lap of 1m 30.800s after participating only in the afternoon session and completing 22 laps.

Romain Grosjean dropped to fourth for Haas with his time of 1m 30.982s, with which he enjoyed the lead for most of the morning runs. Alexander Albon of Toro Rosso followed with a 1m 31.089s lap, while Bahrain Grand Prix winner Lewis Hamilton followed with the sixth-best time of 1m 31.156s in his Mercedes.

Daniel Ricciardo continued to get a grasp of his Renault with a quickest lap of 1m 31.584s, while Stroll followed with a best time of 1m 31.964s.

Completing the testing classification were Carlos Sainz of McLaren, who appeared in the morning before handing over the duties to Norris; Antonio Giovinazzi of Alfa Romeo Racing; Fernando Alonso in a McLaren Pirelli tyre test car; Pietro Fittipaldi for Haas only in the afternoon; Robert Kubica for Williams, also only in the afternoon; Daniil Kvyat in a Toro Rosso Pirelli test car; and George Russel, who tested only in the morning for Williams before turning over the responsibilities to Kubica.

The second and final day of running takes place Wednesday with all 10 F1 teams back on the tarmac.

Verstappen will make way for Dan Ticktum in the Red Bull, while Schumacher will this time be testing in an Alfa Romeo. Norris will have the full day in his McLaren, while Grosjean makes way for Fittipaldi in the Haas. Albon returns for Toro Rosso, as does Kvyat in their Pirelli tyre test car.

Russell replaces Hamilton at Mercedes, as does Jack Aitken for Renault, Sergio Perez for Racing Point, and Nicholas Latifi for Williams.

Sainz and Alonso will share the sessions in the McLaren Pirelli test car, and Sebastian Vettel will be taking to the cockpit for Ferrari.