Bahrain F1 testing: Verstappen sets the pace in morning session

Max Verstappen topped the timesheet in Bahrain at the end of the opening day's morning session, the Red Bull driver heading into the lunch break with 71 laps under his belt.

Ferrari's Carlos Sainz slotted in just behind the Dutchman in the standings while Alex Albon concluded his opening morning in third place for Williams.

Bahrain Pre-Season Test - Day 1 morning

Predictably, it was aero rakes, flow-vis and sensors galore for Formula 1's teams when the track went green, with installation laps the norm as everyone kicked into gear.

It was a troubled start for Aston Martin however, with Felipe Drugovich – running in place of the injured Lance Stroll – stopping just a few corners after taking to the track, the AMR23 shutting down due to an electric issue.

A red flag and a lengthy wait ensued before the action resumed, but the remainder of the session unfolded until the lunch break without any additional issues, allowing teams to enjoy a solid morning of running.

Verstappen was three laps short of achieving the greatest lap count, with that privilege going to Albon, but the reigning world champion edged Ferrari's Carlos Sainz by 0.294s at the top of the timesheet.

It's early days still but Albon's third fastest lap is an encouraging start for Williams, as is Zhou Guanyu's P4 for Alfa Romeo.

Russell worked diligently with Mercedes all morning, the Briton assessing the Brackley squad's new black arrow and especially its vertical stability at high speed. Early on, there were no clear visible signs of porpoising.

Over at Haas, Nico Hulkenberg brushed off the cobwebs to the sixth fastests time, a task helped by a trouble-free session for the US outfit.

After his early setback, Drugovich managed to rack up 40 laps, the Brazilian acquitting himself well and keeping himself out of trouble.

AlphaTauri's Yuki Tsunoda clocked in P8 with 46 laps under his belt, one spot ahead of his former teammate Pierre Gasly who endured a bit of a laborious morning with Alpine.

Closing out the field, McLaren rookie Oscar Piastri was 1.929s adrift from Verstappen but it was still a productive opening session for the Aussie.

Red Bull is the only outfit that has opted for continuity for the afternoon segment of the day, with Verstappen remaining on driving duty while all other teals will rotate their drivers.

The action will resume at 12h15 GMT (13h15 CET).

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