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Formula 1
Bahrain February Testing
F1 Bahrain pre-season test - Day 1
Minute by minute updates on the opening day of the 2023 F1 Bahrain pre-season test
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Testing starts on Thursday 23 February at 07:00 GMT (10:00 local time) and runs until Saturday. All three days follow the same schedule, with running taking place from 10:00 until 14:15, and from 15:15 until 19:30 (all local time), pausing for a lunch break.
All 10 teams are set to be in action for the Bahrain pre-season test, which is the only pre-season test ahead of the 2023 season.
More: F1 Bahrain test driver line-up
The Bahrain pre-season test will take place on 23-25 February ahead of the 2023 F1 season opener at the same venue, the Bahrain Grand Prix, on 3-5 March.
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A relatively uneventful first morning for F1 in 2023, with just the one red-flag after Drugovich's Aston Martin came to a stop early in the session.
Checkered flag
And there we are, the end to the morning session on the first day of F1 pre-season testing.
Neither are setting any personal best sectors though, so it looks like the order will remain unchanged.
He might not be the only one, with just Gasly and Russell driving around at the moment with just a minute left.
And in fact heads for the pits, perhaps deciding he fancies an early lunch...
Not on this lap at least, as the Red Bull driver is some way off his fastest time.
Verstappen is one of two cars currently out on track. Is the Dutchman gunning for a new fastest time?
Stopwatch
Not that it slows down the reigning Formula 2 champion, who sets another personal best - a 1m34.564s - and shoots up to seventh with just over five minutes of the session left.
Drugovich is at it again and sets more green segments in sector one, but has to pass Zhou on the inside into Turn 8.
As has Piastri, who has a large lock-up trying to slow down before entering the pits.
Sainz has decided he's had enough of crawling around at a reduced pace and pulled into the pits.
Not that there's many cars on track to run through the test, with just Sainz, Zhou, Piastri and Drugovich staying out.
Yellow flag
Fear not. A Virtual Safety Car has been deployed but it's a scheduled test to run through the systems.
He may be fastest, but it's not all perfect for Verstappen. The Red Bull driver has a small front left lock-up into Turn 10 and runs slightly wide.
Speaking of laps, Albon has completed the most so far - 72 laps in total. An impressive morning for the Williams driver who sits third in the times currently.
Stopwatch
And it's another improvement. It still keeps him 10th, but down to a 1m34.937s and a total of 35 laps on the board.
He's not done either, with more green segments lighting up in the first sector, followed by some more in the middle sector.
Still, not a bad effort for the F1 rookie who earlier this week wasn't due to be in the car.
Stopwatch
Three personal best sectors and Drugovich improves in time with a 1m35.334s, but remains 10th and 2.375s off Verstappen's fastest time.
The Brazilian goes for another lap and makes a better attempt of Turn 1, and looks quick through the opening corners.
Drugovich has a small moment into Turn 1, running slightly wide on the exit but gathers it up and carries on.
A quick look at the timing screens would suggest no, at least for the moment. Although Russell sets some personal best segments in the opening sector before backing off over the rest of the lap.
Just over 30 minutes remaining of the morning session on day one of pre-season testing. Will we see a late flurry of improved laptimes?
A familiar sight seeing a Red Bull at the top of the times and perhaps an ominous warning for the other teams - even if we're only on day one of pre-season testing!
Stopwatch
P1 for Verstappen! The Red Bull driver goes to the top of the times with a 1m32.959s. The first man to dip into the 1m32s.
Verstappen shows some aggression in the car, weaving briefly but heavily before the final corner. Could we see a faster laptime from the Dutchman?
The McLaren driver has completed 43 laps so far, valuable seat time for the young Australian ahead of his debut F1 season.
Piastri sets green personal best segments in the middle sector and sets a 1m34.907s, but it remains less than a tenth shy of his fastest lap so far.
Sainz and Zhou have also taken to the track in the last few moments. The Ferrari driver still sits top of the times, while the Alfa occupies fourth - just 0.4s off the leading pace.
Gasly goes through to start another lap in the Alpine, with plenty of bouncing down into Turn 1.
Unsurprisingly after coming to a stop out on track, Drugovich in the Aston Martin is currently bottom of the 'laps completed' standings - with just 24 to his name so far.
But there's been no shortage of running throughout the session, with Sainz, Verstappen, Albon and Russell all reaching the 50-lap mark already.
Thanks James. Still relatively quiet out on track in the final hour of the morning session, with just Sainz, Tsunoda and Gasly circulating.
I'll duck out now, as taking you through the final hour of the morning session is Yorkshire's finest - and Autosport's deputy national editor - Stefan Mackley.
With just over an hour to go in the morning session, the order hasn't changed all that much with the top six still in the same order they were when I took the reins. But, to stress the point again, the times are arguably the least significant element of the opening day.
Back on track now is Pierre Gasly in the Alpine. A bit of research conducted by our friend Joao Cunha at Motorsport Stats tells us that the last time there was an all-French lineup in Formula 1 was at Ligier in 1994. And we'll have a special feature on it tomorrow, so keep your eyes peeled for that.
Sainz is earning his keep in the Ferrari, as he saves a big moment of oversteer at Turn 11.
Tsunoda has now popped up in seventh spot, ahead of Gasly and Piastri once more, with a 1m34.671s for AlphaTauri. Meanwhile Albon is the first driver to crack 50 laps for Williams.
Breaking news
Red Bull has kept us waiting to see its real RB19, which finally broke cover on the track this morning. Matt Somerfield has been poring over the car and here's what he's observed: https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/first-impressions-of-red-bulls-soft-evolution-rb19-f1-car/10435360/
And he's not the only driver exploring the limits as Sainz gets a snap of oversteer at Turn 6 which sends him over the runoff. The Ferrari man is starting to push the envelope, you get the impression.
By: Autosport Staff
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