Bahrain GP: Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes surprise fastest on first day of F1 2024 with Red Bull adrift | F1 News

Lewis Hamilton set a shock tempo as Mercedes completed first and second on an surprising opening day of monitor motion in Formulation 1 2024 forward of the Bahrain GP, with Purple Bull’s Max Verstappen solely sixth quickest.

Hamilton, and not using a race win for 2 years and beginning his last season at Mercedes forward of his shock 2025 Ferrari change, impressed in second observe beneath the floodlights of the Bahrain Worldwide Circuit to steer team-mate George Russell by 0.206s with a quickest time of 1:30.374 within the former champions’ all-new W15 automotive.

Fernando Alonso was third for Aston Martin with Carlos Sainz’s Ferrari fourth and McLaren’s Oscar Piastri fifth.

“It is a shock to see us the place we’re however we are going to take it for now, however we will not get forward of ourselves,” stated Hamilton.

“We have to maintain our heads down, maintain engaged on the set-up and try to extract extra.”

Purple Bull, the reigning world champions and clear pre-season favourites heading into this week, had been behind all their key rivals on headline tempo, with Verstappen almost half a second off Hamilton’s benchmark.

However to what extent the RB20 was working near its final potential stays to be seen and can solely really turn out to be clear in 2024’s opening qualifying hour at 4pm on Friday.

Gas masses and automotive settings in observe, as in testing final week, are unknown and it seems doubtless that Purple Bull can have not less than been working theirs fairly conservatively to masks the automotive’s true potential.

However regardless of how a lot the world champions are holding again, Mercedes definitely seem in stronger form than they began every of the previous two seasons in F1’s present regulation period.

The group’s British driving pairing had already reported the W15 to be far nicer to drive than both the 2022 or 2023 fashions, with the group assured it can present a much more fruitful base from which to construct on with upgrades by way of the entire 24-race marketing campaign.

“Purple Bull had two makes an attempt at it and had been half a second off on the finish,” stated Sky Sports activities F1’s Naomi Schiff of the shock image on the Apply Two timesheet.

“Is that practical? Toto [Wolff, Mercedes’ team boss] used some vibrant language within the group bosses’ convention to explain [the fact that] we are going to solely know in qualifying.

“It is constructive information. We noticed in testing that Lewis had a very robust race run and now we have seen him have a robust qualy run. It is also constructive for Aston.”

Verstappen, who gained final 12 months’s Bahrain GP at a canter to arrange F1’s most-dominant-ever title victory, stated: “It was not too unhealthy. It is simply very shut. Possibly some folks round us already turned their engine a bit when it comes to high velocity.

“We simply give attention to ourselves. There have been a number of little steadiness points from entrance to rear however nothing massive, it is nearly looking for that candy spot.”

How actual is Mercedes’ day one tempo?

Though stressing they might not be getting carried away by their place on the head of the Thursday order, Mercedes’ drivers clearly appeared pleased with how the race weekend had began.

Russell admitted their single-lap tempo unexpectedly “seemed actually robust” however that they’d work to do on race tempo.

“We made some adjustments from the take a look at and it exceeded our expectations, however finally the long-run tempo, which is the place all of it occurs, Max was nonetheless forward of us,” stated Russell.

“It was very shut with Fernando, with Lando and the Ferraris, and Lewis and I had been very comparable as properly.

“So we have got an actual struggle on our arms in race tempo, however, as I stated, we’re actually happy with the day, the automotive is performing very well, however we’re not going to get carried away with the timesheets simply but.”

Hamilton concurred that “our long-run tempo is nowhere close to the Purple Bulls’, for instance” however feels that “we will be within the combine”.

“I believe it’s kind of too early to say however I believe we’re there or thereabouts with Ferrari and perhaps Aston and McLaren,” added the seven-time champion.

“I do not know precisely the place we lay with these guys, however we’re round these so it is going to be shut, a pleasant battle with us.

“I believe if Max is within the entrance he’ll veer off, as he has achieved for the final couple of years.”

Sky Sports activities F1’s dwell Bahrain GP schedule

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