Bahrain GP: Daniel Ricciardo tops first timesheet of F1 2024 for new-look RB team in Practice One | F1 News

Daniel Ricciardo topped the primary follow session of the brand new Method 1 season on the Bahrain GP for the renamed RB group however few questions concerning the early pecking order have been answered in 2024’s first hour of aggressive working.

Six days after the conclusion of pre-season testing on the similar circuit, F1’s 20 drivers and their all-new 2024 vehicles hit the Bahrain Worldwide Circuit as soon as once more with the session ending with a shock group on the high of the timesheet.

Certainly one of solely a handful of drivers to make use of the quickest mushy tyre through the hour, Ricciardo clocked a finest time of 1.32.869 for the previous AlphaTauri outfit to outpace McLaren’s Lando Norris, who used the identical compound, by 0.032s on the head of the order.

The pair’s respective team-mates, Oscar Piastri and Yuki Tsunoda, have been third and fourth having additionally set their instances on the quickest accessible compound.

Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso was the quickest medium tyre-shod runner in fifth place, simply 0.3s again on Ricciardo, with world champion Max Verstappen sixth for Crimson Bull.

However the triple world champion, who begins as clear favorite for this season once more after successful 19 of final season’s 22 races, didn’t but seem proud of the dealing with of his RB20 automobile in heat however gusty desert circumstances.

“Every thing is like miles off,” mentioned Verstappen over group radio throughout his first run of the session on observe, albeit at a time when he was on the head of the timesheet.

Verstappen additionally later expressed frustration with the automobile’s gearshifts.

Crimson Bull group principal Christian Horner was on the circuit and in his standard place overseeing the session, a day after allegations of inappropriate behaviour made towards him have been dismissed.

George Russell was the lead Mercedes driver in seventh, with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc eighth forward of his 2025 team-mate Lewis Hamilton, who was ninth quickest within the different Mercedes.

Alpine and Haas, as anticipated, struggled for tempo and crammed the underside 4 locations on the timesheet. Whereas these two groups, notably Haas, seemed to be specializing in heavy-fuel runs, each groups seem like beginning the season on the again foot with their newest respective vehicles.

What – if something – was the importance of opening follow’s outcomes?

There are a number of vital caveats to the outcomes of follow classes at the very best of instances however that’s particularly the case for 2 of the three classes in Bahrain, Practices One and Three, given they happen in day-time circumstances whereas the important thing classes of the weekend happen within the night below floodlights when the temperature is cooler.

So the fact of Thursday’s opening hour is that groups have been probably successfully utilizing it as an extension of final week’s check as they proceed to know their vehicles for 2024, a few of which have been fully re-designed, and conduct particular check and set-up assessments.

The RBs and McLarens locked out the highest of the timesheet after utilizing the mushy tyre, whereas these behind completed inside placing distance on absolute lap time regardless of staying with the slower medium compound.

Aston Martin’s Alonso in fifth and Crimson Bull’s Sergio Perez in twelfth have been separated by lower than two tenths of a second across the 93-second lap, though it is the dimensions of the unlocked pace of the latter’s automobile which stays the massive query heading in to Apply Two at 3pm reside on Sky Sports activities F1.

Sauber’s Valtteri Bottas, who completed tenth, was the one different driver to run the mushy tyre.

Sky Sports activities F1’s reside Bahrain GP schedule

Thursday February 29

• 12.55pm: F3 Qualifying
• 1.40pm: F2 Qualifying
• 2.35pm: Bahrain GP Apply Two (session begins at 3pm)
• 4.15pm: The F1 Present

Friday March 1

• 10.10am: F3 Dash Race
• 12.15pm: Bahrain GP Apply Three (session begins at 12.30pm)
• 2.10pm: F2 Dash Race
• 3.10pm: Bahrain GP Qualifying build-up
• 4pm: BAHRAIN GP QUALIFYING
• 6pm: Ted’s Qualifying Pocket book

Saturday March 2

• 8.55am: F3 Characteristic Race
• 10.25am: F2 Characteristic Race
• 1.30pm: Bahrain GP build-up: Grand Prix Saturday
• 3pm: THE BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX
• 5pm: Bahrain GP response: Chequered Flag
• 6pm: Ted’s Pocket book
• 6.30pm: Bahrain GP highlights

Watch each spherical of the brand new season, beginning with the Bahrain Grand Prix this week, with the opening race on Saturday at 3pm. Stream every F1 race and more with a NOW Sports Month Membership