Live F1 | Reactions following Verstappen’s difficult first day in Bahrain
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Good followingnoon and welcome to this live blog. Here I (Patrick Moeke) will keep you informed of all developments surrounding the Bahrain Grand Prix. Have fun!
Live blog
Thursday, February 29 at 5:02 PM
FINISH – Max Verstappen has to settle for the sixth fastest time during the second free practice for the Bahrain Grand Prix. Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton (first) and George Russell (second) are surprisingly fast on the Bahrain International Circuit. Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso completes the top three.
Thursday, February 29 at 4:52 PM
What has Mercedes found this winter? ‘The Silver Arrows’ are incredibly fast today.
Thursday February 29 at 4:50 PM
Another 12 min – Everyone is busy riding long runs. Times will not be improved for the time being.
Thursday, February 29 at 4:42 PM
Another 19 min – Verstappen starts a longer run on the soft tire. It was expected that the Dutchman would be far ahead of the rest, but that is certainly not the case. Verstappen is only sixth.
Thursday, February 29 at 4:38 PM
Another 25 min – Alonso clocks the third fastest time, Verstappen falls back to sixth place. The score:
Thursday, February 29 at 4:31 PM
Another 30 min – The track seems to be getting faster and faster. Verstappen also improves, but does not get further than the fourth fastest time. The score:
Thursday February 29 at 4:25 PM
Another 35 min – It can be done much faster. Hülkenberg clocks the third fastest time, Sainz jumps to second place.
Thursday February 29 at 4:20 PM
Another 40 min – A striking on-board radio from Verstappen. “Too much air is getting into my helmet.”
Thursday, February 29 at 4:18 PM
Another 41 min – Verstappen improves slightly and clocks the third fastest time. The gap to Hamilton remains large at four tenths.
Thursday, February 29 at 4:17 PM
Another 43 min – Verstappen is going to start a new run. Can he attack Hamilton’s time now?
Thursday February 29 at 4:15 PM
Another 46 min – Verstappen’s on-board radio remains silent following his first qualifying simulation of the season. The score:
Thursday, February 29 at 4:12 PM
Another 48 min – Verstappen reaches 1.31.271 in his first timed lap and is half a second (!) slower than Hamilton. What does this say? Will we get an exciting race this weekend following all?
Thursday, February 29 at 4:11 PM
Another 49 min – Verstappen is one tenth slower than Hamilton in the first sector…
Thursday, February 29 at 4:09 PM
Another 51 min – The moment we’ve been waiting for all winter: Max Verstappen sets out on soft tires for the first time this season. What can the Red Bull driver do? 1.30.751 is Hamilton’s time to beat.
Thursday, February 29 at 4:08 PM
Another 53 min – This first training is already much more interesting than the first. Alonso clocked 1.31.035 and is second, two tenths behind Hamilton. Verstappen is the only driver who has not yet been outside.
Thursday, February 29 at 4:06 PM
Another 54 min – Hamilton clocks by far the fastest time. With 1.30.751 he is eight (!) tenths faster than Leclerc and Pérez.
Thursday February 29 at 4:05 PM
Another 54 min – And Hamilton is also outside on soft tires. The same also applies to Pérez. We are waiting for Verstappen.
Thursday, February 29 at 4:04 PM
Another 55 min – Lo and behold, we see the Ferrari drivers on soft tyres. We will immediately sit down for a while.
Thursday, February 29 at 4:02 PM
Another 58 min – Verstappen is in his car, but is still in the pits.
Thursday February 29 at 4:00 PM
Another 60 min – Green! The second free practice for the Bahrain Grand Prix is underway.
Thursday, February 29 at 3:58 PM
The sun sets in Bahrain. The second training is regarding to start.
Thursday, February 29 at 3:51 PM
Max Verstappen hopes for improvement in the second free practice for the Bahrain Grand Prix. The Dutchman was not satisfied with the balance in his car in the first session and also said that his RB20 had difficulty shifting gears.
Thursday, February 29 at 2:08 PM
The results of the first free practice in Bahrain.
Thursday, February 29 at 1:38 PM
1:41Play button
Max Verstappen drives first lap in Bahrain during free training
Thursday February 29 at 1:30 PM
FINISH – Max Verstappen does not have a flawless first training for the first race of the season in Bahrain. The Dutchman had problems with his gears and was therefore not satisfied with his new RB20. Verstappen clocked the sixth fastest time, although the times are not very representative because only five drivers drove on the soft tire. Daniel Ricciardo was the fastest.
Thursday, February 29 at 1:27 PM
Another 3 minutes – Verstappen will no longer ride on the soft tire this training. The Red Bull driver is told by his engineer Gianpiero Lambiase that he must come to the pits in three laps.
Thursday, February 29 at 1:23 PM
Another 7 minutes – We can cautiously conclude that this training is not yet very representative. Only five drivers have raced on the soft tire so far. The fact is that Verstappen is not satisfied with his car so far.
Thursday, February 29 at 1:21 PM
Another 9 minutes – Alonso clocked the fifth fastest time on medium tires. He is slightly faster than Verstappen who rides on the same rubber.
Thursday, February 29 at 1:14 PM
Another 16 min – Verstappen sends his Red Bull back to the pits. Will we see the Red Bull driver on the soft tire in this training?
Thursday, February 29 at 1:11 PM
Another 19 min – Verstappen (fifth) and Pérez (eleventh) have not yet driven on the soft tire.
Thursday, February 29 at 1:09 PM
Another 21 min – Stand:
Thursday, February 29 at 1:07 PM
Another 23 min – Daniel Ricciardo surprisingly clocks the fastest time. With 1.32.869, the Australian is half a tenth faster than Norris.
Thursday, February 29 at 1:04 PM
Another 26 min – Norris drops two tenths under Piastri’s time and is now the fastest. Peréz clocked the third fastest time on medium tires.
Thursday, February 29 at 1:03 PM
Another 27 min – Verstappen is also going out once more, but not yet on soft tires. The Red Bull driver brought medium rubber.
Thursday February 29 at 12:59
Another 32 min – Oscar Piastri is the first driver to set off on the soft tire and he immediately clocks the fastest time. The score:
Thursday February 29 at 12:56
Another 36 min – Stand:
Thursday February 29 at 12:52
Another 38 min – Even though Verstappen is at the top, he still complains regarding the car. “The gear changes don’t work at all. The car jumps in all directions,” he says over the on-board radio.
Thursday February 29 at 12:48
Another 42 min – Verstappen improves once more, but Russell and Hamilton are not far away. The score:
Thursday February 29 at 12:44
Another 47 min – Although Verstappen is by far the fastest, he is not happy with the setup of his car. “Everything is shit,” he literally says over the on-board radio.
Thursday February 29 at 12:41
Another 49 min – Verstappen goes six (!) tenths under the time of Hamilton and Sainz in his first timed lap.
Thursday February 29 at 12:39
Another 51 min – Can Verstappen attack Hamilton’s time? The Dutchman now starts a fast lap.
Thursday February 29 at 12:38
Another 52 min – Fastest time Lewis Hamilton. On the medium band the Brit goes around in 1.34.630.
Thursday February 29 at 12:38
Another 52 min – There’s Max Verstappen. The Red Bull driver takes to the track with medium rubber.
Thursday February 29 at 12:37
Another 53 min – Sergio Pérez clocked 1.35.093 on the medium band, the fastest time. Carlos Sainz concedes two tenths on the same rubber.
Thursday February 29 at 12:36
Why are the first two Grands Prix of the season on Saturday and not on Sunday? This has everything to do with Ramadan, which starts on Sunday, March 10. Formula 1 will then be in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The race in the oil state will be brought forward one day to Saturday, March 9. Qualifying (Friday) and training (Thursday) are also postponed by one day. To give team members and drivers an extra day of rest, the first race weekend of the year – the Bahrain Grand Prix – has also been brought forward by one day. Another factor is that it will be a logistically difficult task to get everything to Jeddah on time. Moreover, the regulations state that there must be at least seven days between two Grands Prix.
Thursday February 29 at 12:34
Another 55 min – The Haas drivers are the first drivers to set a time this season. Kevin Magnussen is the fastest with 1.39.931.
Thursday February 29 at 12:32
Another 58 min – Max Verstappen is still in the pit box, but is already in his car.
Thursday February 29 at 12:31
Another 58 min – It is immediately busy on the track. Formula 1 season 2024 is underway.
Thursday February 29 at 12:31
Another 59 min – “Radio check.”
Thursday February 29 at 12:30
Another 60 min – Green! The first free practice for the Bahrain Grand Prix is underway.
Thursday February 29 at 12:21
Finally we’re starting once more. The big question: does Red Bull indeed have as big a lead as many people think? Or does Ferrari still have something up its sleeve? In an hour we will probably be a lot wiser.
Thursday February 29 at 12:12
Ha, look who we have there. The much-discussed Christian Horner is of course in the paddock today. Max Verstappen’s team boss was acquitted of inappropriate behavior yesterday.
Image: ANP
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