Charles Leclerc set the fastest time in the first practice session for the Bahrain Grand Prix, putting his Ferrari almost a second ahead of the closest Mercedes.
Ferrari, Mercedes and Red Bull all used the soft (C3 compound) tyre to set their quickest times in the first practice session. Track temperatures reached 45C during the first 90 minutes of running, which is significantly hotter than conditions are expected to be for qualifying and the race.In the scorching track temperatures Sebastian Vettel and Leclerc took it in turns to set the fastest time. Vettel put his SF90 seven-tenths clear of early pace-setter Valtteri Bottas, but Leclerc followed it up with an even quicker time.
The Mercedes pair had to settled for third and fourth, Lewis Hamilton two-tenths of the pace of his championship-leading team mate. The Red Bull pair were next, Max Verstappen lapping within a tenth of a second of Hamilton, and Pierre Gasly close behind.
The usual top six cars were followed by Carlos Sainz Jnr, with a new power unit in his McLaren following the MGU-K failure which halted him in Australia. He was just one-tenth of a second off Gasly, and followed closely by fellow Renault user Nico Hulkenberg.
Two other teams completed the top 10: Daniil Kvyat for Toro Rosso and Kimi Raikkonen in his Alfa Romeo. The latter had problems with traffic during the session, being variously held up by Sainz and Kvyat’s team mate Alexander Albon.
Hulkenberg had an even closer brush with Raikkonen’s team mate in the dying minutes of the session. Antonio Giovinazzi collided with the Renault at turn seven, sending the Alfa Romeo flying briefly into the air.
Daniel Ricciardo narrowly missed a place in the top 10. The quickest Haas was only 12th, courtesy of Kevin Magnussen, after Romain Grosjean damaged his front wing. Sergio Perez led the Racing Points in 14th as team mate Lance Stroll missed a chunk of the session after spinning and grazing a barrier early on.
The Williams pair took up their usual places at the bottom of the times, albeit closer to the midfield than in Australia. George Russell had a quick spin at the end of the session but avoided the barriers.
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First practice visual gaps
Charles Leclerc – 1’30.354
+0.263 Sebastian Vettel – 1’30.617
+0.974 Valtteri Bottas – 1’31.328
+1.247 Lewis Hamilton – 1’31.601
+1.319 Max Verstappen – 1’31.673
+1.461 Pierre Gasly – 1’31.815
+1.598 Carlos Sainz Jnr – 1’31.952
+1.686 Nico Hulkenberg – 1’32.040
+1.985 Daniil Kvyat – 1’32.339
+2.031 Kimi Raikkonen – 1’32.385
+2.047 Daniel Ricciardo – 1’32.401
+2.248 Kevin Magnussen – 1’32.602
+2.520 Alexander Albon – 1’32.874
+2.531 Sergio Perez – 1’32.885
+2.591 Lando Norris – 1’32.945
+2.595 Antonio Giovinazzi – 1’32.949
+2.640 Romain Grosjean – 1’32.994
+3.164 Lance Stroll – 1’33.518
+3.834 George Russell – 1’34.188
+3.899 Robert Kubica – 1’34.253
Drivers more then ten seconds off the pace omitted.
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2019 Bahrain Grand Prix
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nase
29th March 2019, 12:46
I know, it’s just Free Practice, and a particularly meaningless one due to the climatic conditions. I know that.
However, I am extremely pleased with the minuscule gap between “[t]he usual top six cars” and the spearhead of the midfield. I hope this becomes a trend.
Matteo (@m-bagattini)
29th March 2019, 12:51
Quick recap of 2018 best session times.
FP1: 1:31.060 RIC
FP2: 1:29.817 RAI
FP3: 1:29.868 RAI
Q3: 1:27.958 VET
Man United_Vettel (@siegfreyco)
29th March 2019, 13:39
There is a 3rd drs zone though which is worth a few tenths
ruliemaulana (@ruliemaulana)
29th March 2019, 13:42
Good reference!
Mashiat (@mashiat)
29th March 2019, 12:56
Well, well, well, look what we have here. Either Mercedes is really bluffing right now, or Australia really was just a blip for Ferrari.
Ahmad
29th March 2019, 13:36
honestly, Ferrari for past 3 years was poor in Australia and insane in Bahrain.
Rick D. (@partsguy20)
29th March 2019, 13:07
I know people usually joke about how adding stripes to a car gives it a horsepower boost, but maybe the Mission Winnow logos really do play a role in the performance of the Ferrari!
I’m eager to see what Kimi can do in FP2 if he’s able to get a clean lap. Top ten with traffic is encouraging… I think Alfa Romeo has a legitimate shot at 4th or 5th in the championship this year if they continue to develop the car (and Antonio).
GeeMac (@geemac)
29th March 2019, 13:13
God that statement makes me so sad.
ruliemaulana (@ruliemaulana)
29th March 2019, 13:32
Is that track really made of granite? All of them? Any other place using it?
digitalrurouni
29th March 2019, 13:42
I bet if Charles lands pole here, we will definitely hear a Vettel saying “we will speak later” on the radio. Still too early to call who will take pole but I think Ferrari have got this. Already quicker lapping that last year in FP1 no?
BaKano (@bakano)
29th March 2019, 13:52
Leclerc’s time was 0.7s faster than fastest FP1 time last year.
ColdFly (@)
29th March 2019, 14:11
see comment above ⬆️.
bosyber (@bosyber)
29th March 2019, 14:18
Just wanted to say: that angle makes these cars, or certainly the Ferrari, look great!
Phylyp (@phylyp)
29th March 2019, 15:25
@bosyber – yeah, the sheer length of these generation of cars is disguised from this angle, and is reminiscent of the cars from a decade or so ago.
MacLeod (@macleod)
29th March 2019, 14:40
Seems Ferrari is working good when it’s hot now lets wait when it’s get cooler.
MG1982 (@mg1982)
29th March 2019, 14:47
Still early, but McLaren doesn’t look that bad, while RIC doesn’t look that good compared to Hulk, as some expected.