Autobayng News Team
Max Verstappen led the way as Formula 1 testing resumed at the Bahrain International Circuit.
The Red Bull driver set the quickest time over the first four hours of running at the home of the Bahrain Grand Prix. Teams will have a further four hours of running in the late afternoon and evening.
Following Williams’ absence from the first test at the Circuit de Catalunya two weeks ago, all 11 teams are present in Bahrain for the first of two three-day tests. Carlos Sainz Jnr appeared eager to make up for lost time in the FW48, covering the highest mileage of any driver in the first morning, 20 laps more than a grand prix distance.
Oscar Piastri lapped just a tenth of a second slower than Verstappen’s benchmark of 1’35.433. At this early stage in testing, the quickest times were over five-and-a-half seconds off Piastri’s 2025 pole position time. Teams are only allowed to run Pirelli’s three hardest tyre compounds – C1, C2 and C3 – at this week’s test.
While Verstappen also exceeded a grand prix distance in the RB22, the next-quickest drivers – Piastri, Mercedes’ George Russell and Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton – fell slightly short. Hamilton lost time with a brief, harmless spin at turn one early in the test.
The only red flag during the first four hours was caused by Franco Colapinto, who came to a stop in his Alpine. He rejoined the test later on, but the team has covered the lowest mileage of any so far.
Most drivers will hand over to their team mates for the remainder of today’s test with the exception of Verstappen, Esteban Ocon and Lance Stroll.
Bahrain test one, day one morning lap times:
| Pos. | Car number | Driver | Team | Model | Best time | Gap | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 33 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | RB22 | 1’35.433 | 65 | |
| 2 | 81 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | MCL40 | 1’35.602 | 0.169 | 54 |
| 3 | 63 | George Russell | Mercedes | W17 | 1’36.108 | 0.675 | 56 |
| 4 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | SF-26 | 1’36.433 | 1.000 | 52 |
| 5 | 31 | Esteban Ocon | Haas | VF-26 | 1’37.169 | 1.736 | 63 |
| 6 | 41 | Arvid Lindblad | Racing Bulls | 03 | 1’37.945 | 2.512 | 75 |
| 7 | 55 | Carlos Sainz Jnr | Williams | FW48 | 1’38.221 | 2.788 | 77 |
| 8 | 5 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Audi | R26 | 1’38.871 | 3.438 | 49 |
| 9 | 77 | Valtteri Bottas | Cadillac | 1’39.150 | 3.717 | 49 | |
| 10 | 18 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | AMR26 | 1’39.883 | 4.450 | 33 |
| 11 | 43 | Franco Colapinto | Alpine | A526 | 1’40.330 | 4.897 | 28 |
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