What we learned on day one of F1 testing in Bahrain

Max Verstappen topping the first day of 2023 testing in Bahrain is the headline that Formula 1 probably didn’t want the media to be writing. Already some will have glanced at the result and concluded immediately that very little has changed. Red Bull has once again built the fastest ground-effects car and the double world champion has lost nothing of his edge. Roll on 2024…

Given the supremacy of the Dutch ace and his RB18 last season that manifested itself with 15 grand prix wins and dominant title success, few would reasonably deny that this driver and car combination is the one to beat. That’s even with the 25% cut to wind tunnel time that Red Bull must contend with as a legacy of winning the constructors’ crown in 2022, alongside exceeding the cost cap the year before. But that is not a conclusion that can be drawn solely and securely from events at the Sakhir circuit on Thursday.

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Naturally, no team shows their full hand during pre-season running. Drivers are circulating with unknown fuel loads, differing engine modes, varying tyre compounds, contrasting tyre life, working with track evolution and might just simply be sandbagging to muddy the times. As such, Ferrari and Mercedes are unlikely heading to bed tonight only to lose sleep over Verstappen’s pacesetting 1m32.837s fastest lap.

“It was also a smooth day,” was his verdict. “We barely had any issues and we could really focus on the car and try a few things. We had a lot of good running throughout the day when it was hot and sunny and also in the evening, which is more representative.

“It’s nice to see how the car has evolved from last year. The behaviour is a bit different because of the [heavier] tyres but, otherwise, we are happy. It’s difficult to tell how the car will perform this season through one day of testing.”

More reliable takeaways can be gleaned from the overall trend of the times. Firstly, the changes to the regulations governing floor design for this season have done little to slow the learning curve.

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Wind back to 2022 and the three days of running at Bahrain were held as the second test following a private so-called 'shakedown' at Barcelona. Come the end of running in the Middle East, Verstappen had also topped the leaderboard courtesy of a 1m31.72s. While there’s still over a second to find for the current crop to match that, the existing benchmark came as part of a later glory run on the softest C5 Pirelli tyre as the temperatures dropped.

It already seems clear that this year's cars will not be slower despite their ride height changes mandated by the rules

Photo by: Steven Tee / Motorsport Images

Nigh on 12 months later, Verstappen was again plying his trade in twilight conditions but on the slower C3 rubber. Of note, in the much hotter morning, he had only run a tenth adrift when also shod with C3s. Then consider a three or four tenth gain between compounds and remember the grid improved by 2.2s over the three days in Bahrain a year ago. As such, out of the blocks, the 15mm ride height rise has done little to tank the times as teams have evolved their cars over the winter. This gaggle of cars will very likely be quicker.

As Verstappen pounded round for a total of 157 laps, there was ample opportunity to take in the RB19, which has at last fully shown itself to the world after the team launched a livery only in New York City. The car tasked with keeping Red Bull atop the constructors’ championship notably features a wider nose tip, a more tightly wrapped engine cover and deeper undercuts around the sidepods as Adrian Newey’s design department has favoured an evolutionary approach. The floor edge has earned a more dramatic redesign, meanwhile.

Red Bull’s day wasn’t quite faultless, however. Verstappen slipped off the rear jack 50 minutes before the end of the afternoon session to crash land onto the carbon floor in the pitlane. Aston Martin were similarly clumsy, with the floor damaged in the process. That marked the second snafu for the Silverstone team, as FIA F2 champion and reserve driver Felipe Drugovich (standing in for an injured Lance Stroll) triggered the only red flag of the day. He parked after just nine minutes of the 4h15m morning stint reportedly with an electronics glitch.

Mercedes was far more noticeable for the peculiar and messy-looking wires hanging out of the back of the W14's steering wheel rather than hopping its way down the straights

That and a wobbly Ferrari nosecone owing to a missing internal support aside, the class of 2023 has proved initially immensely robust. Barcelona running last season was held behind closed doors due to fears concerning mass unreliability, the paddock still haunted by 2014 testing and the switch to the 1.6-litre turbo hybrid engines. But there was little sign of trouble on Thursday. The total laps completed by the 10 cars hit 1276, equating to 4291 miles around the Bahrain circuit. That compares to the 3210 miles chalked by the field at Barcelona on day one of testing last year.

In the reliability stakes, Alfa Romeo was most improved. Severely hobbled by the returning porpoising phenomenon chewing through its floors and further mechanical gremlins, it racked just 32 laps on the opening day in Spain. It ran to 138 tours in Bahrain, with Valtteri Bottas buoyed by the starkly contrasting fortunes.

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His early assessment was: “The early impression is positive because we haven’t had many issues, including the filming day. It’s a very different start to last year when testing was pretty much a disaster in terms of reliability. In that sense, it’s positive. A smooth start… I have no doubt we can do better than last year. Over the positive start to testing and seeing the quality of the car, the details, everything just seems like a step better.”

The rest of the grid wasn’t too haunted by ghosts of the recent past, either. Porpoising, caused by the floor airflow detaching and reattaching at speed to create a pogoing effect, has so far not dramatically reared its ugly head. However, the separate bouncing sensation is seemingly back for more.

Bottas was relieved that Alfa got off to a much stronger start than one year ago after unreliability dogged its 2022 car's earliest running

Photo by: Steven Tee / Motorsport Images

With the underbody aero so key to ground-effects dictating a super-stiff suspension set-up, Ferrari, Aston and McLaren appeared the most unsettled by a track surface where the more severe bumps into Turn 1 and through Turn 12 have grown to further unsettle the cars. This time, then, Mercedes was far more noticeable for the peculiar and messy-looking wires hanging out of the back of the W14's steering wheel rather than hopping its way down the straights.

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Away from racking up the miles with minimal incidents, it should be noted that the drivers didn’t entirely cover themselves in glory. Their objection to the initial FIA clampdown on personal and political statements as outlined in the updated 2023 International Sporting Code has been loud and commendable. The paddock has formed a rare united front. Drivers insist they will continue using their platform for advocacy and to uphold the sanctity of free speech.

However, the governing body has since issued a clarification on what specific acts will and won’t be permitted. Regardless of whether these parameters offer any kind of satisfactory justification for the intervention, few drivers were aware of the latest developments. This bulletin was sent to competitors on Friday and given the hotly contested topic at hand, all should be fully abreast of the evolving situation.

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Of the panel assembled for the first press conference in Bahrain (Sergio Perez, Drugovich, Esteban Ocon, Kevin Magnussen and Bottas), only Bottas was up to speed. The Finn said the matter will be discussed further at the next Grand Prix Drivers’ Association as a total U-turn is still desired. While testing their new rides might be the biggest priority, this blind spot was disappointing.

Also emerging from the press conferences were further details on the nature of Stroll’s injury that has benched him for the entire test. Aston Martin announced on Monday that the Canadian had sustained injuries following a “minor accident” while cycling in Spain. Team boss Mike Krack has added some flesh to the bones and confirmed a hand and/or wrist injury. He said on Thursday: “[Stroll] was training, trying to improve or to work on his fitness last week. He was cycling and he had a small incident and hurt himself. And for precaution reasons, we decided it's better to wait a little bit, and be ready next week.

“[His condition] is his personal thing. So, he is injured on the hand, on the wrist. But I don't want to go into detail because this is also privacy.”

Stroll will be assessed daily to gauge whether he is fit to contest the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix across 3-5 March. Drugovich, meanwhile, kept coy on his chances of making a previously unexpected F1 race debut.

Drugovich deputised for Stroll on Thursday morning, but will have to wait for news of a possible F1 debut as the team continues to monitor Stroll's recovery

Photo by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images