FP1: Ricciardo leads opening FP1 in Bahrain
Red Bull Racing/Red Bull Content Pool
Daniel Ricciardo set the pace as the 2024 Formula 1 season commenced at the Bahrain International Circuit, propelling the rebranded RB team to the top in the first practice session. Clocking in at 1m 32.869s, Ricciardo finished just ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.
Check out the results of the Bahrain Grand Prix weekend, including the race results, qualifying times, and practice sessionsOngoing setup issues didn’t stop Max Verstappen from initially leading with a 1m 33.535s lap, though he later dropped to sixth as other teams began running on soft tires. Mercedes’ George Russell sat just behind Verstappen in these early stages, despite the Dutchman voicing concerns over poor gear shifts.
Joining Ricciardo on soft tires, McLaren and Kick Sauber also improved their times, with Yuki Tsunoda completing RB’s strong performance. Fernando Alonso’s Aston Martin led the medium compound contingent, finishing fifth.
Charles Leclerc, the leading Ferrari, secured eighth, nestled between the Mercedes duo of Russell and Lewis Hamilton. Valtteri Bottas managed 10th for Kick Sauber, followed by Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz and Red Bull’s Sergio Perez.
Williams’ Alex Albon, Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll, and Zhou Guanyu’s Kick Sauber followed, with Zhou overcoming early brake issues. Williams' Logan Sargeant and Alpine's Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly filled the positions up to P18. Haas focused on long-run setups, placing Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg in P19 and P20.
With FP1 complete, teams will now analyze the data to prepare for the more representative second practice session later in the evening from 1800 to 1900 local time.
Formula 1 Race results /standings Formula 1 Race schedule F1 TV: Watch every race of the 2024 Formula 1 Grand Prix season live Watch Formula 1 in ESPN networks all season long