Follow usTriple world champion Max Verstappen kicked off pre-season testing in Bahrain on a high note, maintaining his usual dominance amid uncertainties surrounding Red Bull team boss Christian Horner.
The 26-year-old Dutch driver, who secured 19 victories in 22 races last season, set the pace in the morning session. His lap time of 1:32.548 in the sunshine outshone last year’s fastest effort on the same Sakhir circuit, highlighting the continued prowess of the Red Bull driver.
New year, same Max 😉
Our FIRST overtake of the 2024 season! 🚀#F1Testing #F1 pic.twitter.com/eJtDX5hE5I
— Formula 1 (@F1) February 21, 2024
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc followed in second place, with Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso and McLaren’s Oscar Piastri completing the top positions. The only notable issue during the first session occurred when Williams driver Alex Albon stopped his car on the track with 21 minutes remaining.
As teams fine-tune their preparations, Verstappen’s performance showcased the promising evolution of the Red Bull RB20 ahead of the upcoming season starting on March 2.
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