F1 testing 2024 LIVE: Pre-season lap times as Verstappen ends Day ...
The 2024 Formula 1 season is underway with pre-season testing at the Bahrain International Circuit – just a week before the first race of the season at the same track.
It’s been a busy off-season in the world of F1: from Lewis Hamilton’s shock 2025 move to Ferrari being announced to the current investigation into the behaviour of Red Bull boss Christian Horner, there’s been no shortage of intriguing storylines.
TESTING PREVIEW: What to expect from F1 pre-season in Bahrain?But Wednesday sees the cars out on track for the first time with three days of testing, as the drivers and teams get up to speed quickly ahead of a record-breaking 24-race season.
Who will set the early benchmark? And can anyone possibly challenge Max Verstappen and Red Bull this year? Testing will give us our first indicator.
Follow live updates from pre-season testing below:
F1 TESTING 2024 - LATEST UPDATESPre-season testing signals the start of the 2024 Formula 1 season
Max Verstappen was quickest on day one; Norris 2nd; Sainz 3rd
Red Bull reveal major changes to 2024 F1 car on first day of testing
Lando Norris pays tribute to ‘dear friend’ with signature helmet at F1 testing
PREVIEW: What can we expect from F1 testing?
Christian Horner is present in the Bahrain paddock despite the ongoing investigation - latest updates
The first race of the 2024 season is on Saturday 2 March in Bahrain
F1 testing 2024 LIVE: Pre-season testing returns tomorrow16:31 , Mike Jones
That’s it for day one of pre-season testing for the 2024 Formula 1 season. Max Verstappen was the main threat on track as predicted and finished top of the leaderboard but Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo impressed for McLaren and RB respectively.
Williams had a tough day with a couple of major faults in their cars but they’ll work on them overnight and see what tomorrow brings.
The second day of testing begins at 7am GMT and Lewis Hamilton will be back on track after sitting out today’s two sessions.
Lando Norris pays tribute to ‘dear friend’ with signature helmet at F1 testing16:46 , Mike Jones
Lando Norris will pay tribute to former McLaren sporting director Gil de Ferran at F1 testing on Wednesday with a signature helmet.
French-Brazilian ex-driver De Ferran, who won the Indy 500 in 2003, passed away in December at the age of 56 after suffering a heart attack.
Norris, who has driven for McLaren since his F1 debut in 2019, worked alongside De Ferran for two years and was keen to pay his respects on the first day of the 2024 season.
Lando Norris pays tribute to ‘dear friend’ with signature helmet at F1 testing
F1 testing 2024 LIVE: Session timings in Bahrain16:38 , Mike Jones
The times for testing – at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir – are as follows:
(All times GMT)
Thursday 22 February
7am-11am – Morning session
12pm-4pm – Afternoon session
Friday 23 February
7am-11am – Morning session
12pm-4pm – Afternoon session
Toto Wolff calls for transparency in Red Bull’s Christian Horner investigation16:22 , Mike Jones
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has called for Red Bull’s investigation into Christian Horner to be transparent – and said the controversy is “an issue for all of Formula One”.
Horner is under investigation by the racing team’s parent company Red Bull GmbH following a claim of “inappropriate behaviour” by a female colleague.
The 50-year-old emphatically denies the accusation and remains in his role as Red Bull team principal.
Toto Wolff calls for transparency in Red Bull’s Christian Horner investigation
F1 testing 2024 LIVE: Pre-season testing day one results16:15 , Mike Jones
11. Logan Sargeant (Williams) + 2.538
12. George Russell (Mercedes) + 2.765
13. Yuki Tsunoda (RB) + 2.792
14. Valtteri Bottas (Sauber) + 3.087
15. Alex Albon (Williams) + 3.243
16. Esteban Ocon (Alpine) + 3.333
17. Kevin Magnussen (Haas) + 4.348
18. Nico Hulkenberg (Haas) + 4.562
F1 testing 2024 LIVE: Pre-season testing day one results16:12 , Mike Jones
1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) - 1:31.344
2. Lando Norris (McLaren) + 1.140
3. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) + 1.240
4. Daniel Ricciardo (RB) +1.225
5. Pierre Gasly (Alpine) + 1.461
6. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) + 1.663
7. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) + 1.903
8. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) + 2.041
9. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) + 2.314
10. Zhou Guanyu (Sauber) + 2.527
F1 testing 2024 LIVE: Testing completed!16:02 , Mike Jones
Time runs out for today’s testing session. Max Verstappen topped the leaderboard by over a second after driving 142 laps.
George Russell managed 120 laps throughout the day in his Mercedes with most of the other drivers somewhere in the range of 60-80 laps.
McLaren, Red Bull, and RB will be the happiest teams of the day, Williams and Haas among those who struggled.
F1 testing 2024 LIVE: Debris coming from Stroll’s Aston Martin15:54 , Mike Jones
Wow. Some debris flies off Lance Stroll’s Aston Martin and immediately behind him, Daniel Ricciardo manages to swerve and avoid it.
No so for Nico Hulkenberg who bombs right over it.
F1 testing 2024 LIVE: 15 minutes left to go15:46 , Mike Jones
Into the final quarter of an hour of today’s testing session. Lando Norris is about to head back out onto track on fresh set of tyres. It seems McLaren are sending him out with a set of C4s.
F1 testing 2024 LIVE: No more running for Williams15:38 , Mike Jones
Williams have called it a day as the team continues to explore a suspected driveshaft issue. The new car completed just 61 laps in total across Alex Albon and Logan Sargeant today.
It’s not a disastrous day but can’t be called successful either.
F1 testing 2024 LIVE: Stroll’s Aston Martin being sprayed15:37 , Mike Jones
Lance Stroll’s Aston Martin has just been sprayed with flow-vis paint which will give the engineers an idea of air flow, when the car is on the track.
On his way around, he skids off track so any data the garage was gathering won’t be hugely accurate from this initial lap.
15:31 , Mike Jones
Things have gone quiet in terms of the leaderboard changing but Pierre Gasly has just set a new lap time of 1:33.940 in his Alpine.
Gasly finished 11th in the driver standings with 62 points last year and secured a first Alpine podium finish in Zandvoort at the Dutch Grand Prix.
The 28-year-old also finished third in the sprint race in Spa at the Belgium Grand Prix.
F1 testing 2024 LIVE: When is F1 pre-season testing?15:24 , Mike Jones
The times for the remaining testing sessions at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir are as follows:
(All times GMT)
Thursday 22 February
7am-11am – Morning session
12pm-4pm – Afternoon session
Friday 23 February
7am-11am – Morning session
12pm-4pm – Afternoon session
F1 testing 2024 LIVE: Verstappen vs Russell15:19 , Mike Jones
Max Verstappen sweeps around George Russell in a cutting move to overtake the Mercedes with both drivers on longer runs.
Russell pretty much gets out of the way as Verstappen has disappears off down the road. The Dutchman is on medium tyres with Russell on similarly aged ones too.
The Mercedes man’s best time is a good two and a half second behind Verstappen as it stands.
F1 testing 2024 LIVE: Current lap times15:10 , Mike Jones
Daniel Ricciardo skirts off track, every so slightly heading into the final turn, but he recovers it well and improves his fastest time.
Here’s a look at the current top 10:
1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) - 1:31.662
2. Lando Norris (McLaren) + 0.822
3. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) + 0.992
4. Daniel Ricciardo (RB) +1.119
5. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) + 1.412
6. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) + 1.585
7. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) + 1.723
8. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) + 1.996
9. Zhou Guanyu (Stake) + 2.209
10. Logan Sargeant (Williams) + 2.220
F1 testing 2024 LIVE: An hour to go15:02 , Mike Jones
Into the final hour of today’s testing session.
Red Bull will of course be happy with Max Verstappen’s output but Daniel Ricciardo has found a bit of pace out of the Red Bull ajoined RB car.
McLaren look strong through Lando Norris who is still attempting to get a few miliseconds out of the car.
F1 testing 2024 LIVE: Red Bull’s strange sidepods14:54 , Mike Jones
At first glance Red Bull’s sidepods look like the same large design that all of the teams are currently running.
But, a small area behind the front wheel is where the sidepod has been hollowed out, with extra cooling inlets placed by the driver’s head.
It’s weird and innovative but so far looks like it’s working as Max Verstappen leads the rest of the field.
14:49 , Kieran Jackson
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has called for Red Bull’s investigation into Christian Horner to be transparent – and said the controversy is “an issue for all of Formula One”.
Horner is under investigation by the racing team’s parent company Red Bull GmbH following a claim of “inappropriate behaviour” by a female colleague.
The 50-year-old emphatically denies the accusation and remains in his role as Red Bull team principal.
He is in Bahrain for this week’s three-day test ahead of the opening race, also in the Gulf Kingdom, on March 2. And Horner has stated it is his intention to be in his post for the start of the new campaign.
“It is clear,” Wolff said when asked to address the allegations during the lunch interval on the first day of testing.
“Formula One and the teams stand for inclusion, equality, fairness and diversity, and that is not only about talking about it, but living it day in, day out. These are just standards we set ourselves.”
Full piece below:
Toto Wolff calls for transparency in Red Bull’s Christian Horner investigation
F1 testing 2024 LIVE: Temperatures going down in Bahrain14:47 , Mike Jones
The temperature in Bahrain has dipped by 10 degrees since the sun set.
That means there’s more grip on the track but the surface temperature on the tyres means it’s trickier for the drivers as the tyres are cooling quicker on the straights.
Max Verstappen is readying to head out again.
F1 testing 2024 LIVE: Sargeant struggling for Williams14:41 , Mike Jones
Logan Sargeant has another issue as he attempts to move from third to fourth gears at flat out pace. The gear box stutters and whines meaning the American decides to take the car into the pits for a check up.
Inside the Williams garage there’s a lot of activity towards the rear end of the car as the mechanics try to decode the problem.
F1 testing 2024 LIVE: Verstappen hits 10014:36 , Mike Jones
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen is proving why he is a three time world champion. He’s driven 109 laps already in testing today and is the only driver to top 100.
Mercedes’ George Russell is second with 82 laps while Fernando Alonso has put in 77 trips around the track for Aston Martin.
F1 testing 2024 LIVE: Ricciardo making moves14:33 , Mike Jones
F1 testing 2024 LIVE: Ricciardo making moves14:31 , Mike Jones
Daniel Ricciardo is another driver looking for a fresh start this season. Having joined AlphaTauri halfway through last season he is now well set in the newly rebranded Visa Cash App RB team.
With Yuki Tsunoda as his teammate, Ricciardo will believe that he can perform brilliantly this season. The Australian leaps up to fourth on the leaderboard with a time off 1:32.946.
A good showing for the RB driver.
F1 testing 2024 LIVE: Sargeant spins off14:25 , Mike Jones
Following Alex Albon’s fuel-related stoppage in the morning session, Logan Sargeant is keeping Williams on their toes after hitting a bump and spinning off track on his previous run.
He managed to hold the car in the gravel and get back to the pits with the team now investigating his car for any damage.
14:19 , Mike Jones
After one of the most frenetic off-seasons in recent Formula 1 history, teams and fans will see the 2024 crop of cars out on track for the first time in Bahrain this week.
Pre-season testing is often peculiar: plenty of flow-vis paint and aero-rakes appear on cars to measure initial performance. Varied lap times, fuel load and set-ups mean the leaderboard at the end of each day should be taken with a pinch of salt.
But for the drivers and teams, it’s invaluable. With 24 hours of running over three days, each driver should receive 12 hours of time in the car, with the focus fully on the performance and reliability of their 2024 challenger.
Red Bull’s bold design and secret ‘sandbagging’: what can we expect from F1 testing?
F1 testing 2024 LIVE: Can anyone challenge Verstappen?14:14 , Mike Jones
Max Verstappen is the overwhelming favourite to win the drivers’ championship title for a fourth consecutive year and sets the quickest lap in testing with a time of 1:31.662.
He’s completed 97 laps in both sessions today and looks as determined as ever to continue his success.
His Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez is not driving today nor is Lewis Hamilton. Can either of them challenge the Dutchman this season or will he storm to another world title victory?
F1 testing 2024 LIVE: Verstappen goes fastest14:09 , Mike Jones
Max Verstappen has just overtaken Lando Norris for the fastest lap. He’s a good 0.8 seconds ahead of the McLaren.
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen in action during testing in Bahrain (Getty Images)
Carlos Sainz getting to grips with the Ferrari SF-24 (Getty Images)
Zhou Guanyu of China driving Stake’s C44 (Getty Images)
F1 testing 2024 LIVE: How will Norris fare this seaon?14:01 , Mike Jones
Lando Norris, fresh off signing a new contract with McLaren, is currently the fastest driver on the track with a time of 1:32.484. Last year he finished sixth in the driver standings with 205 points and will be hoping to improve on that throughout 2024.
Norris secured eight podium finishes last season with the first coming at Silverstone following a major upgrade to the car. The Brit has never won a race in Formula 1, could he earn that first victory this time around?
F1 testing 2024 LIVE: Carlos Sainz and Lando Norris quickest13:59 , Kieran Jackson
Out of all the afternoon drivers, Carlos Sainz and Lando Norris are fastest!
Sainz has gone second overall (including this morning’s times), just 0.056 seconds behind Max Verstappen’s leading time.
Lando Norris is third overall, five-tenths behind Verstappen - and that’s with less than an hour of time in the car after missing the first hour.
Lance Stroll is the next quickest this afternoon - ninth overall - as day becomes night in Bahrain.
(Getty Images)
F1 testing 2024 LIVE: Lando Norris pays tribute to ‘dear friend’ with signature helmet at F1 testing13:46 , Kieran Jackson
Lando Norris will pay tribute to former McLaren sporting director Gil de Ferran at F1 testing on Wednesday with a signature helmet.
French-Brazilian ex-driver De Ferran, who won the Indy 500 in 2003, passed away in December at the age of 56 after suffering a heart attack.
Norris, who has driven for McLaren since his F1 debut in 2019, worked alongside De Ferran for two years and was keen to pay his respects on the first day of the 2024 season.
Lando Norris pays tribute to ‘dear friend’ with signature helmet at F1 testing
F1 testing 2024 LIVE: Teams’ championship odds!13:16 , Kieran Jackson
No surprises who the favourites are here... but McLaren in second may be a surprise!
Constructors’ championship - winner odds:
Red Bull - 2/9
McLaren - 7/1
Mercedes, Ferrari - 17/2
Aston Martin - 50/1
Alpine - 250/1
Visa Cash App RB - 300/1
Williams, Sauber - 500/1
Haas - 1000/1
Odds provided by OLBG
F1 testing 2024 LIVE: Lando Norris now out on track13:04 , Kieran Jackson
Problems seemingly solved at McLaren, with everyone now out on track aside from Logan Sargeant.
So issues it seems for Williams, too, after what was a fuel pump issue this morning.
Not many flying laps set so far.
F1 testing 2024 LIVE: Problems for McLaren12:50 , Kieran Jackson
Lando Norris - replacing Oscar Piastri for McLaren this afternoon - is yet to take to the track.
A few concerned faces in the McLaren garage. Not an ideal start to testing for a team who made such strides last year after a horror start.
Still, very early days.
Red Bull reveal major changes to 2024 F1 car on first day of testing12:39 , Kieran Jackson
Red Bull have confirmed major changes to their 2024 F1 car on the first day of pre-season testing in Bahrain.
At their launch event in Milton Keynes last week, the RB20 surprised onlookers with a fresh design despite their dominance last year.
Red Bull won 21 out of 22 races in 2023 but despite their near-perfect performance, Adrian Newey and his team of designers have replenished their package, instead of persevering with a similar concept.
Red Bull’s new design – with vertical sidepod inlets and a tall engine cover – has similarities with the “zero-sidepod” direction Mercedes took in the past two years; a concept the Silver Arrows have now moved away from.
Full piece below:
Red Bull reveal major changes to 2024 F1 car on first day of testing
F1 testing 2024 LIVE: Aston Martin team principal Mike Krack12:16 , Kieran Jackson
“It was a good morning. We had quite an extensive programme. We were out when the light went green and we managed to do our whole programme - aero, data, cooling. There was no big issues.
“We have to credit all the teams, there was not a single red flag this morning.”
“Fernando was quite happy with how it went. The team have done a great job, we even finished earlier than we were thinking.”
On 2025 driver market: “It’s good for the sport and for the fans. For us, we are very happy with our drivers - we are having discussions and we would like to continue with both.”
(Getty Images)
F1 testing 2024 LIVE: Afternoon session begins!12:00 , Kieran Jackson
So after a one-hour break, we’re underway with the afternoon session on day one of testing in Bahrain!
In the car this afternoon is as follows:
Red Bull: Max Verstappen
Mercedes: George Russell
Ferrari: Carlos Sainz
McLaren: Lando Norris
Aston Martin: Lance Stroll
Williams: Logan Sargeant
Alpine: Pierre Gasly
RB: Daniel Ricciardo
Stake: Zhou Guanyu
Haas: Nico Hulkenberg
F1 testing 2024 LIVE: A reminder of the driver run-plans for today!11:45 , Kieran Jackson
Red Bull - Max Verstappen (all day)
Mercedes - George Russell (all day)
Ferrari - Charles Leclerc (AM) / Carlos Sainz (PM)
McLaren - Oscar Piastri (AM) / Lando Norris (PM)
Aston - Fernando Alonso (AM) / Lance Stroll (PM)
Alpine - Esteban Ocon (AM) / Pierre Gasly (PM)
Williams - Alex Albon (AM) / Logan Sargeant (PM)
RB - Yuki Tsunoda (AM) / Daniel Ricciardo (PM)
Stake - Valtteri Bottas (AM) / Zhou Guanyu (PM)
Haas - Kevin Magnussen (AM) / Nico Hulkenberg (PM)
F1 testing 2024 LIVE: Bahrain Grand Prix odds!11:25 , Kieran Jackson
And we also have some early odds for the Bahrain Grand Prix next Saturday!
Bahrain Grand Prix - winner odds:
Max Verstappen - 2/5
Sergio Perez - 9/1
Lando Norris - 14/1
Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc - 16/1
Carlos Sainz, George Russell - 20/1
Oscar Piastri - 25/1
Fernando Alonso - 28/1
Esteban Ocon, Alex Albon, Pierre Gasly, Lance Stroll - 200/1
Yuki Tsuonda, Daniel Ricciardo - 300/1
Guanyu Zhou, Valtteri Bottas, Kevin Magnussen, Nico Hulkenberg, Logan Sargeant - 500/1
Odds provided by OLBG
F1 testing 2024 LIVE: Alex Albon stopping late in the session11:12 , Kieran Jackson
Here’s what happened to Alex Albon. Mysterious.
F1 testing 2024 LIVE: Max Verstappen fastest in the first session!11:02 , Kieran Jackson
Is it still 2023?!
Max Verstappen fastest in the first four hours with a 1:32:548, with Charles Leclerc seven-tenths back in second.
Fernando Alonso is a tenth further back in third, with Oscar Piastri fourth with a 1:33:658 - and Yuki Tsunoda in fifth with a 1:34:136.
6-10: Russell, Bottas, Albon, Ocon, Magnussen
An enjoyable last few minutes too of Verstappen and Leclerc racing each other down into turn one!
Everyone bar Verstappen and Russell will swap with their team-mates for the afternoon...
(Getty Images)
(Getty Images)
F1 testing 2024 LIVE: Back to green flag conditions!10:47 , Kieran Jackson
That’ll be Alex Albon done for the day, with Logan Sargeant taking the reigns at Williams this afternoon.
Back to normal conditions for the final 15 minutes of the session.
We’re hearing it may have been a fuel issue for Albon - namely that he simply ran out!
F1 testing 2024 LIVE: Alex Albon has pulled off to the side of the road10:42 , Kieran Jackson
First yellow flag of the year!
Alex Albon has stopped his Williams car on the side of the track in sector one with 20 minutes to go.
No smoke or anything, though. Albon still in the car, too. Not sure what the issue is.
Over at Mercedes, some changes going on in George Russell’s W15 n the cockpit - a cockpit they’ve moved back 10cm compared to last year - and to the steering column.
Yellow flag still in sector one. And Albon’s car is being wheeled off the track.
Alex Albon is pushed off the track at F1 testing in Bahrain (F1)
F1 testing 2024 LIVE: A reminder of session timings in Bahrain and how to watch10:28 , Kieran Jackson
The times for testing – at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir – are as follows:
(All times GMT)
Wednesday 21 February
7am-11am – Morning session
12pm-4pm – Afternoon session
Thursday 22 February
7am-11am – Morning session
12pm-4pm – Afternoon session
Friday 23 February
7am-11am – Morning session
12pm-4pm – Afternoon session
Where can I watch pre-season testing?Every minute of running in pre-season testing will be live on Sky Sports F1 in the UK and Ireland.
ESPN broadcast coverage of Formula 1 in the United States.
F1 testing 2024 LIVE: No Lewis Hamilton today10:12 , Kieran Jackson
He’s at the paddock in Bahrain - but we will not see Lewis Hamilton out on track today.
George Russell is in his W15 all day today; Hamilton will have his all-day session tomorrow.
(Getty Images)
F1 testing 2024 LIVE: Max Verstappen quickest with one hour to go10:05 , Kieran Jackson
It’s not all-important at this stage, but Max Verstappen is top of the leaderboard with one hour to go in the morning session.
The Red Bull driver setting a 1:32:548, with Charles Leclerc seven-tenths back in second for Ferrari.
3-10: Alonso, Piastri, Tsunoda, Bottas, Albon, Ocon, Magnussen, Russell
Alonso has set the most laps so far, at 55.
Plenty of flow-vis paint on show still.
F1 testing 2024 LIVE: A reminder of the driver run-plans for today!09:48 , Kieran Jackson
Red Bull - Max Verstappen (all day)
Mercedes - George Russell (all day)
Ferrari - Charles Leclerc (AM) / Carlos Sainz (PM)
McLaren - Oscar Piastri (AM) / Lando Norris (PM)
Aston - Fernando Alonso (AM) / Lance Stroll (PM)
Alpine - Esteban Ocon (AM) / Pierre Gasly (PM)
Williams - Alex Albon (AM) / Logan Sargeant (PM)
RB - Yuki Tsunoda (AM) / Daniel Ricciardo (PM)
Stake - Valtteri Bottas (AM) / Zhou Guanyu (PM)
Haas - Kevin Magnussen (AM) / Nico Hulkenberg (PM)
F1 testing 2024 LIVE: What do we call the formerly named AlphaTauri?09:37 , Kieran Jackson
Much has been made of the formerly named AlphaTauri’s new title: Visa Cash App RB Formula 1 team.
Will they go by Racing Bulls? Or VCARB?
So the early consensus in the commentary box is that it’ll be simply RB.
Underwhelming if you ask me.
(Getty Images)
F1 testing 2024 LIVE: Drivers’ championship odds!09:25 , Kieran Jackson
Cars have been on track for a matter of hours - but we already have some early odds for the 2024 championship!
Drivers’ championship - winner odds:
Max Verstappen - 1/5
Lewis Hamilton, Lando Norris - 12/1
Charles Leclerc - 16/1
George Russell, Sergio Perez - 25/1
Fernando Alonso, Oscar Piastri - 40/1
Carlos Sainz - 66/1
Daniel Ricciardo - 250/1
Alex Albon - 500/1
Odds provided by OLBG
F1 testing 2024 LIVE: Valtteri Bottas out on track09:12 , Kieran Jackson
Is that heaps of flow-vis paint? No! It’s the Stake F1 Team car this year!
Feel as though this will be a real “marmite” livery - you’ll either immediately like it or loathe it.
Me? I like it.
(Getty Images)
(Getty Images)
F1 testing 2024 LIVE: Laps completed in the first two hours09:00 , Kieran Jackson
A fair few slides of the car at turn one and gone are most of the aero-rakes on the car - as we hit the halfway mark in the first session of testing 2024.
Laps completed so far:
Verstappen - 33
Leclerc - 20
Alonso - 32
Bottas - 23
Tsunoda - 33
Albon - 2
Magnussen - 32
Piastri - 17
Russell - 19
Ocon - 23
On the timesheet, Max Verstappen is fastest (I typed that a fair few times last year!), with Charles Leclerc a tenth of a second off. Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso is in third, three-tenths off Verstappen.
4-10: Bottas, Tsunoda, Albon, Magnussen, Piastri, Russell, Ocon
F1 testing 2024 LIVE: A reminder of session timings in Bahrain and how to watch08:42 , Kieran Jackson
The times for testing – at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir – are as follows:
(All times GMT)
Wednesday 21 February
7am-11am – Morning session
12pm-4pm – Afternoon session
Thursday 22 February
7am-11am – Morning session
12pm-4pm – Afternoon session
Friday 23 February
7am-11am – Morning session
12pm-4pm – Afternoon session
Where can I watch pre-season testing?Every minute of running in pre-season testing will be live on Sky Sports F1 in the UK and Ireland.
ESPN broadcast coverage of Formula 1 in the United States.
F1 testing 2024 LIVE: Bit of a moment for Alpine’s Esteban Ocon08:27 , Kieran Jackson
The Alpine almost hits an advertising hoarding as he goes on the gravel, before managing to wrestle back control of the car!
F1 testing 2024 LIVE: Times after one hour of day one testing08:02 , Kieran Jackson
P1) Leclerc - 1:33.658
P2) Alonso +0.164
P3) Tsunoda +1.176
P4) Bottas +1.676
P5) Magnussen +2.034
P6) Verstappen +2.335
P7) Ocon +3.165
P8) Russell +3.739
P9) Albon - no time
P10) Piastri - no time
F1 testing 2024 LIVE: Christian Horner present in the Red Bull garage07:53 , Kieran Jackson
(Getty Images)
(Getty Images)
(Getty Images)
F1 testing 2024 LIVE: Fernando Alonso quickest after half-an-hour07:33 , Kieran Jackson
Only seven out of the 10 cars this morning have set times, with Fernando Alonso fastest after 30 minutes.
A reminder: it doesn’t matter for now. Different run-plans, fuel loads, approaches - a whole realm of various priorities per team.
Aero-rakes aplenty on the cars, measuring airflow around the car.
Nine teams were out right at the beginning, with McLaren’s Oscar Piastri slightly late out of the garage but now out on the circuit.
F1 testing 2024 LIVE: Here are the driver run-plans for today!07:11 , Kieran Jackson
Red Bull - Max Verstappen (all day)
Mercedes - George Russell (all day)
Ferrari - Charles Leclerc (AM) / Carlos Sainz (PM)
McLaren - Oscar Piastri (AM) / Lando Norris (PM)
Aston - Fernando Alonso (AM) / Lance Stroll (PM)
Alpine - Esteban Ocon (AM) / Pierre Gasly (PM)
Williams - Alex Albon (AM) / Logan Sargeant (PM)
RB - Yuki Tsunoda (AM) / Daniel Ricciardo (PM)
Stake - Valtteri Bottas (AM) / Zhou Guanyu (PM)
Haas - Kevin Magnussen (AM) / Nico Hulkenberg (PM)
F1 testing 2024 LIVE: We’re underway!07:00 , Kieran Jackson
Cars are out on track for the first time in 2024 as pre-season testing gets underway at the Bahrain International Circuit!
What will we learn in the next three days - and how much will it shape the season ahead?!
George Russell has been waiting at the end of the pit lane for a good few minutes - and his Mercedes W15 is armed with a big aero-rake as the first four-hour session begins!
(Getty Images)
F1 testing 2024 LIVE: Session timings in Bahrain06:55 , Kieran Jackson
The times for testing – at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir – are as follows:
(All times GMT)
Wednesday 21 February
7am-11am – Morning session
12pm-4pm – Afternoon session
Thursday 22 February
7am-11am – Morning session
12pm-4pm – Afternoon session
Friday 23 February
7am-11am – Morning session
12pm-4pm – Afternoon session
F1 testing 2024 LIVE: Red Bull’s bold design and secret ‘sandbagging’: what can we expect from F1 testing?06:50 , Kieran Jackson
After one of the most frenetic off-seasons in recent Formula 1 history, teams and fans will see the 2024 crop of cars out on track for the first time in Bahrain this week.
Pre-season testing is often peculiar: plenty of flow-vis paint and aero-rakes appear on cars to measure initial performance. Varied lap times, fuel load and set-ups mean the leaderboard at the end of each day should be taken with a pinch of salt.
But for the drivers and teams, it’s invaluable. With 24 hours of running over three days, each driver should receive 12 hours of time in the car, with the focus fully on the performance and reliability of their 2024 challenger.
So with just nine days to go until the start of the new season, beyond the ongoing investigation surrounding Red Bull boss Christian Horner and some intriguing media sessions with the likes of Lewis Hamilton after his move to Ferrari, what else can we expect from testing in Bahrain?
Preview by Kieran Jackson:
Red Bull’s bold design and secret ‘sandbagging’: what can we expect from F1 testing?
F1 testing 2024 LIVE: How to watch06:45 , Kieran Jackson
Where can I watch pre-season testing?Every minute of running in pre-season testing will be live on Sky Sports F1 in the UK and Ireland.
ESPN broadcast coverage of Formula 1 in the United States.
F1 testing 2024 LIVE: Pre-season starts in Bahrain06:30 , Kieran Jackson
The 2024 Formula 1 season starts this week with pre-season testing at the Bahrain International Circuit – just a week before the first race of the season at the same track.
It’s been a busy off-season in the world of F1: from Lewis Hamilton’s shock 2025 move to Ferrari being announced to the current investigation into the behaviour of Red Bull boss Christian Horner, there’s been no shortage of intriguing storylines.
But Wednesday sees the cars out on track for the first time with three days of testing, as the drivers and teams get up to speed quickly ahead of a record-breaking 24-race season.
Who will set the early benchmark? And can anyone possibly challenge Max Verstappen and Red Bull this year? Testing will give us our first indicator.
(Getty Images)
F1 testing 2024 LIVE: Max Verstappen re-iterates Red Bull commitment06:15 , Kieran Jackson
“My dream is to win races. I have a lot of respect for the brand Ferrari and of course I hope to see a lot of different teams competing for wins,” he said at the RB20 car launch
“But at the moment I’m very happy where I’m at so I don’t see myself leaving at the moment.”
Verstappen will be the favourite when the new F1 season begins with the Bahrain Grand Prix on 2 March.
The three-time champion will be in action later today on day one of testing.
(Will Cornelius / Content Pool)
F1 testing 2024 LIVE: Helmut Marko defends timing of investigation into Christian Horner05:59 , Kieran Jackson
Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko has defended the timing of the company’s “inappropriate behaviour” investigation into F1 team principal and chief executive Christian Horner.
Horner, the longest-serving team principal on the F1 grid, has been accused of “inappropriate, controlling behaviour” from a female colleague, with the team’s parent company Red Bull GmbH opening an investigation into the 50-year-old’s conduct.
Horner strongly denied the claims when they were first publicised on February 5 and repeated those rebukes at the team’s 2024 F1 car launch last week in Milton Keynes.
With the matter set to drag on into pre-season testing this week - with the first race of the season next Saturday on 2 March - F1 has urged Red Bull to conclude the investigation as soon as possible.
Full story below:
Helmut Marko defends Red Bull over Christian Horner investigation
Christian Horner – latest: Red Bull boss set to appear in Bahrain despite ‘inappropriate behaviour’ probe05:45 , Kieran Jackson
Keep up to date with all the latest news from the Christian Horner investigation below:
Christian Horner – latest: Marko speaks out over ‘inappropriate behaviour’ probe
F1 testing 2024 LIVE: Session timings in Bahrain05:15 , Kieran Jackson
The times for testing – at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir – are as follows:
(All times GMT)
Wednesday 21 February
7am-11am – Morning session
12pm-4pm – Afternoon session
Thursday 22 February
7am-11am – Morning session
12pm-4pm – Afternoon session
Friday 23 February
7am-11am – Morning session
12pm-4pm – Afternoon session
F1 testing 2024 LIVE: How to watch02:30 , Kieran Jackson
Where can I watch pre-season testing?Every minute of running in pre-season testing will be live on Sky Sports F1 in the UK and Ireland.
ESPN broadcast coverage of Formula 1 in the United States.
F1 testing 2024 LIVE: Red Bull’s bold design and secret ‘sandbagging’: what can we expect from F1 testing?01:35 , Kieran Jackson
After one of the most frenetic off-seasons in recent Formula 1 history, teams and fans will see the 2024 crop of cars out on track for the first time in Bahrain this week.
Pre-season testing is often peculiar: plenty of flow-vis paint and aero-rakes appear on cars to measure initial performance. Varied lap times, fuel load and set-ups mean the leaderboard at the end of each day should be taken with a pinch of salt.
But for the drivers and teams, it’s invaluable. With 24 hours of running over three days, each driver should receive 12 hours of time in the car, with the focus fully on the performance and reliability of their 2024 challenger.
So with just nine days to go until the start of the new season, beyond the ongoing investigation surrounding Red Bull boss Christian Horner and some intriguing media sessions with the likes of Lewis Hamilton after his move to Ferrari, what else can we expect from testing in Bahrain?
Preview by Kieran Jackson:
Red Bull’s bold design and secret ‘sandbagging’: what can we expect from F1 testing?
F1 testing 2024 LIVE: Max Verstappen re-iterates Red Bull commitment00:30 , Kieran Jackson
“My dream is to win races. I have a lot of respect for the brand Ferrari and of course I hope to see a lot of different teams competing for wins,” he said at the RB20 car launch
“But at the moment I’m very happy where I’m at so I don’t see myself leaving at the moment.”
Verstappen will be the favourite when the new F1 season begins with the Bahrain Grand Prix on 2 March.
(Will Cornelius / Content Pool)
F1 testing 2024 LIVE: Session timings in BahrainTuesday 20 February 2024 23:10 , Kieran Jackson
The times for testing – at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir – are as follows:
(All times GMT)
Wednesday 21 February
7am-11am – Morning session
12pm-4pm – Afternoon session
Thursday 22 February
7am-11am – Morning session
12pm-4pm – Afternoon session
Friday 23 February
7am-11am – Morning session
12pm-4pm – Afternoon session
F1 testing 2024 LIVE: How to watchTuesday 20 February 2024 22:17 , Kieran Jackson
Where can I watch pre-season testing?Every minute of running in pre-season testing will be live on Sky Sports F1 in the UK and Ireland.
ESPN broadcast coverage of Formula 1 in the United States.
F1 testing 2024 LIVE: Helmut Marko defends timing of investigation into Christian HornerTuesday 20 February 2024 21:20 , Kieran Jackson
Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko has defended the timing of the company’s “inappropriate behaviour” investigation into F1 team principal and chief executive Christian Horner.
Horner, the longest-serving team principal on the F1 grid, has been accused of “inappropriate, controlling behaviour” from a female colleague, with the team’s parent company Red Bull GmbH opening an investigation into the 50-year-old’s conduct.
Horner strongly denied the claims when they were first publicised on February 5 and repeated those rebukes at the team’s 2024 F1 car launch last week in Milton Keynes.
With the matter set to drag on into pre-season testing this week - with the first race of the season next Saturday on 2 March - F1 has urged Red Bull to conclude the investigation as soon as possible.
Full story below:
Helmut Marko defends Red Bull over Christian Horner investigation
Tuesday 20 February 2024 20:02 , Kieran Jackson
F1 testing 2024 LIVE: Red Bull’s bold design and secret ‘sandbagging’: what can we expect from F1 testing?
After one of the most frenetic off-seasons in recent Formula 1 history, teams and fans will see the 2024 crop of cars out on track for the first time in Bahrain this week.
Pre-season testing is often peculiar: plenty of flow-vis paint and aero-rakes appear on cars to measure initial performance. Varied lap times, fuel load and set-ups mean the leaderboard at the end of each day should be taken with a pinch of salt.
But for the drivers and teams, it’s invaluable. With 24 hours of running over three days, each driver should receive 12 hours of time in the car, with the focus fully on the performance and reliability of their 2024 challenger.
So with just nine days to go until the start of the new season, beyond the ongoing investigation surrounding Red Bull boss Christian Horner and some intriguing media sessions with the likes of Lewis Hamilton after his move to Ferrari, what else can we expect from testing in Bahrain?
Preview by Kieran Jackson:
Red Bull’s bold design and secret ‘sandbagging’: what can we expect from F1 testing?
F1 testing 2024 LIVE: Session timings in BahrainTuesday 20 February 2024 19:14 , Kieran Jackson
The times for testing – at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir – are as follows:
(All times GMT)
Wednesday 21 February
7am-11am – Morning session
12pm-4pm – Afternoon session
Thursday 22 February
7am-11am – Morning session
12pm-4pm – Afternoon session
Friday 23 February
7am-11am – Morning session
12pm-4pm – Afternoon session
F1 testing 2024 LIVE: How to watchTuesday 20 February 2024 18:58 , Kieran Jackson
Where can I watch pre-season testing?Every minute of running in pre-season testing will be live on Sky Sports F1 in the UK and Ireland.
ESPN broadcast coverage of Formula 1 in the United States.
Tuesday 20 February 2024 18:54 , Kieran Jackson
The 2024 Formula 1 season starts this week with pre-season testing at the Bahrain International Circuit – just a week before the first race of the season at the same track.
It’s been a busy off-season in the world of F1: from Lewis Hamilton’s shock 2025 move to Ferrari being announced to the current investigation into the behaviour of Red Bull boss Christian Horner, there’s been no shortage of intriguing storylines.
But Wednesday sees the cars out on track for the first time with three days of testing, as the drivers and teams get up to speed quickly ahead of a record-breaking 24-race season.
Who will set the early benchmark? And can anyone possibly challenge Max Verstappen and Red Bull this year? Testing will give us our first indicator.
(Getty Images)
