The 2024 F1 season is here with the start of pre-season testing in Bahrain.
All 10 teams have completed their launches but the opening day of testing marks the first time each 2024 car is truly unveiled to the world.
With Red Bull coming off a dominant 2023 season when it won all but one grand prix, can any of its rivals take the fight to the defending world champions?
The Bahrain pre-season test will run between 21-23 February, with each day’s track action starting at 7am GMT (10am local time).
So, plenty to digest from a busy opening act of pre-season testing. We'll call time on this live text coverage but never fear, we'll be back bright and early tomorrow morning for Day 2 which starts at 7am GMT. Have a lovely rest of your Wednesday - go well!
That was the opening day of pre-season testing, a day dominated by Red Bull and Verstappen on the lap times and lap counts. Is that a hint of what is to come in 2024?
There was murmurs of Mercedes' new front wing not being legal but while it has gained plenty of attention, it appears perfectly fine according to the FIA. Here's the full story.
Russell locks up into Turn 8 over the bumps and has to back out of it. The Bahrain track does look very bumpy compared to when F1 last visited 12 months ago.
It appears the flow-vis paint on Stroll's Aston probably caused the wing mirror to drop off. See, teams have a point about paint adding unnecessary weight.
Stroll's Aston drops its left wing mirror on the main straight going over that big bump just before the braking zone. It is emblazoned with the word 'Boss' and there's a certain irony that the 'Hugo' sponsored team of RB is the first to find it, as Ricciardo narrowly avoids it. Hulkenberg has less luck and runs it over, blowing it into a million pieces.
Stroll, with green flow-vis paint that makes it look like he's rubbed up against the Sauber, locks up into Turn 10 and takes the safety first approach by pulling out of it and taking to the run-off area. Those tyres will not pass an MOT now.
Verstappen is at it again. The Red Bull driver goes quickest in sector one and two, but not sector three by 0.001s, to produce a 1m31.344s on C3 tyres. That puts him 1.140s clear of nearest rival Norris.
Ricciardo makes a personal improvement again, putting in a 1m32.599s on the C3, but he stays fourth fastest for RB. Will any of the runners opt for a soft set of tyres blast in the final 30 minutes?
Russell joins Verstappen as a centurion for today as he clocks up 101 laps before pitting. Verstappen leads outright on 124 laps, with everyone else splitting running between their two drivers.
Mercedes opted for 25 sets of the medium tyre compound for the Bahrain test, more than any other team, having decided to take only two sets each of the C1 and C2. As the Bahrain track surface is so rough, the C3 will serve as next weekend's softest compound - so the team has already got an eye on the season opener.
Gasly has stretched the legs of the Alpine, as he goes up to 11th with a 1m33.940s. Meanwhile Verstappen and Russell are jostling for track position on respective race runs, and the Red Bull gets by and drives into the distance. Make of that what you will.
Ricciardo improves on his personal best with a 1m32.781s, despite running wide out of the final corner, but he stays fourth fastest overall. In quali that lap would've been deleted but for now let's not worry about that.
So far supreme pace and supreme reliability for Red Bull and Verstappen, with most laps and the quickest time. Yes, he is only one of two drivers who has driven all day and, yes, it is only the first day of testing but it is pretty ominous going on what happened last year.
Into the final hour of the opening day and so far it has definitely been a good day for Red Bull and a solid day for McLaren and Ferrari. But it has been a tricky day for Williams.
Verstappen goes quickest of anyone in the middle sector but the rear of his car steps out through Turn 13 so his 1m31.922s puts him a third of a second off his own overall best.
Back in the Williams garage the mechanics are working on the rear-left corner of Sargeant's car while the American chats to his engineers. He's completed just 21 laps this afternoon so will be desperate to get back on track.
A fuel pump issue for Albon, a spin for Sargeant and now a suspected transmission problem for Sargeant on Day 1. With only three days of pre-season testing in total, this could really hurt the team over the opening rounds.
It looks like more trouble at Williams. Sargeant pulled up coming out of Turn 8 and his car wouldn't shift gear. He wisely backs out of the lap and returns to the garage which allows the mechanics to take a closer look. Not a smooth day for Williams.
