Norris sets the pace in Bahrain FP1 as Rookies take the spotlight
Red Bull Racing/Red Bull Content Pool
Lando Norris claimed the fastest time in the opening practice session of the Bahrain Grand Prix weekend, leading the way ahead of Pierre Gasly and Lewis Hamilton in a session that saw notable appearances from six rookies.
Fresh off the cool conditions of Japan’s Suzuka Circuit, teams returned to the scorching, sunny climate of Sakhir for Friday’s Free Practice 1. While several top drivers handed their cars over to young stars, adhering to the rule requiring teams to run rookies in four FP1 sessions during the season, the rookies made their presence felt.
Representing their respective teams, Ayumu Iwasa, Dino Beganovic, Fred Vesti, Felipe Drugovich, Ryo Hirakawa, and Luke Browning took over for Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc, George Russell, Fernando Alonso, Ollie Bearman, and Carlos Sainz. The rookies commenced the session with Iwasa leading the charge, followed by Browning and Hirakawa.
The session could not escape early trouble for some drivers, notably Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli who reported “no power” less than 10 minutes in, leading to a premature return to the pits. The issue, attributed to a loss of water pressure, kept Antonelli in the garage for most of the session.
As drivers adapted to the track conditions, finding grip proved challenging. Liam Lawson expressed dissatisfaction with his Racing Bulls machine’s balance, describing it as "shocking." Nonetheless, by the halfway point, Alex Albon set the pace for Williams with a lap of 1m 35.180s, narrowly ahead of Norris and Gasly.
Focus then shifted to runs on soft tires. Kick Sauber's Gabriel Bortoleto initially set the fastest time, only to be outpaced by teammate Nico Hulkenberg. Meanwhile, Antonelli’s issues continued, prompting Mercedes mechanics to focus their efforts on the rear wing. Additionally, Albon's release into the path of Red Bull’s Yuki Tsunoda in the pit lane necessitated an apology and triggered a post-session investigation. Possible impeding between Albon and Browning, who had to take avoiding action on track, also caught the stewards’ attention.
As the session progressed with more soft-tire laps, Norris emerged as the fastest, clocking a 1m 33.204s, two-tenths ahead of Gasly, while Hamilton secured third for Ferrari. Albon, despite late power loss issues, held onto fourth, followed by Haas’ Esteban Ocon in fifth and Hulkenberg in sixth. Alpine’s Jack Doohan took seventh, followed by Lawson, Tsunoda, and McLaren’s Oscar Piastri completing the top ten.
Bortoleto finished 11th, ahead of Racing Bulls’ Isack Hadjar, Browning, and Beganovic. The Aston Martins of Lance Stroll and Drugovich claimed 15th and 16th, respectively, with Hirakawa, Vesti, Iwasa, and Antonelli rounding out the order.
Teams now have the opportunity to analyze data and refine strategies before returning for Free Practice 2, scheduled to begin at 1800 local time.
Up Next
