Gasly fastest for AlphaTauri on Day 1 of Bahrain F1 Test

Pierre Gasly set the fastest lap on the first day of pre-season testing in Bahrain and is the only driver to drive a lap under 1:34, with Ferrari drivers taking second and third place.

Gasly set  a 1:33.902 lap on Pirelli’s softest C5 tyres and took the lead ahead of Sainz in Ferrari with a half-second lead with a total of 103 laps for AlphaTauri.

Drivers could not improve at the end of the day as Perez caused the second and final red flag of the day, less than ten minutes before the end, after losing the back end at the exit of the Turn 8.

The Mexican got stuck in a gravel trap with his rear wheels and failed to get out, which is why a red flag had to be shown, which also marked the end of the first day.

Sainz was the second fastest for Ferrari on C3 tyres, less than two tenths ahead of teammate Leclerc who drove eight laps more, but Ferrari can be satisfied with 116 laps overall.

Stroll finished fourth fastest for Aston Martin on the softest C5 tyres after causing the first red flag shortly after a lunch break when his aerodynamic equipment fell off while Albon in Williams finished fifth with his best lap of the morning.

Norris drove just 50 laps for McLaren after a braking system problem that kept him in the garage for a long time – Briton finished sixth fastest ahead of Bottas in Alfa Romeo and Vettel in Aston Martin.

Perez in tenth place separated the Mercedes’ drivers Russell and Hamilton who tested the modified F1 W13 with radical sidepods and the 12th and 13th were the drivers of Alpine who together drove only 66 laps.

Zhou was penultimate for Alfa Romeo ahead of Fittipaldi in Haas who have been hired as a temporary replacement for Mazepin.

The test continues tomorrow at 08:00 (CET).

DAY 1 RESULTS