P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Max Verstappen put Red Bull’s new 2024 Formula 1 car on top in Bahrain as the 10 teams racked up more than 500 laps on the first morning of pre-season testing
Max Verstappen had an impressive start in Bahrain, putting Red Bull’s new 2024 Formula 1 car on top during pre-season testing by setting the fastest time of 1m32.548s on the C3 tire. The RB20 car showed promising performance enhancements, with a focus on additional details around the halo inlets and sidepod design. Verstappen’s closest competition came from Charles Leclerc, who ended the session 0.699 seconds behind. Fernando Alonso was also quick, finishing within a second of Verstappen in the new Aston Martin AMR24. Meanwhile, McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Yuki Tsunoda for the RB team rounded out the top five, showcasing a competitive field for the upcoming season. George Russell had a quiet session for Mercedes, completing 48 laps, while Alex Albon’s Williams FW46 caused the only stoppage on track after an issue near Turn 3.
