P1racenews AI automatic summary:
McLaren driver Lando Norris set the new fastest time of Formula 1 pre-season testing in Bahrain – here’s everything else that happened in the opening session
McLaren driver Lando Norris set the new fastest time in Formula 1 pre-season testing in Bahrain, with just a day and a half of prep left before the season starts in Melbourne. Norris’s 1m33.453s lap was an improvement on George Russell’s benchmark, with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen just a tenth behind. Ferrari was effectively absent, while a C4 tyre propelled Alex Albon and Williams to their fastest time. There were low mileage numbers throughout the field, including a strong race simulation by Valtteri Bottas in the Cadillac. The session ended with a practice race start, showing varied performance among the drivers.
