P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Max Verstappen went fastest in the morning session on Day 1 of the first official Formula 1 pre-season test at the Bahrain International Circuit.
Max Verstappen set the fastest time in the morning session of Day 1 of the first official Formula 1 pre-season test at the Bahrain International Circuit, clocking in at 1:35.433s.
Oscar Piastri followed closely behind in second place, just 0.169s behind Verstappen in the McLaren MCL40.
George Russell secured the third fastest time, with Lewis Hamilton in fourth position, trailing by exactly one second.
The top ten times of the session were filled out by Esteban Ocon, Arvid Lindblad, Carlos Sainz, Gabriel Bortoleto, Valtteri Bottas, and Lance Stroll.
For more updates on the F1 2026 Bahrain pre-season testing, stay tuned for live coverage.
