P1racenews AI automatic summary:
RB’s Daniel Ricciardo clocked the quickest time during the opening Formula 1 practice session of the 2024 season in Bahrain.
The opening practice session took place in daytime conditions while qualifying and the race were scheduled for twilight. The temperature in Bahrain was cooler than usual, with ambient around 19°C and track temperature peaking at 33°C, with gusts blowing across the track. Only a few teams like RB, McLaren, and Sauber chose to run the Soft tyre during the session. Ricciardo set the fastest time of 1:32.869s, just ahead of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. Yuki Tsunoda and Fernando Alonso rounded up the top five. Max Verstappen struggled with downshifts, finishing sixth. Hamilton and Sainz were ninth and 11th, with Perez in 12th. Alpine, Haas, and Williams faced challenges throughout the session.
