The Dutch driver Max Verstappen, aboard a Red Bull, was the fastest this Thursday in the test session with a view to the official start of the Formula 1 season, which will be at the Bahrain International Circuit on Sunday, March 5.
Verstappen, the two-time world champion, began the new season as he had finished the previous one, at the top, and was faster than the Spanish Carlos Sainz Jr, second with Ferrari, and the Thai Alex Albon, third with Williams. The Dutchman recorded a time of 1m32s959, while the man from Madrid did 1m33s253 and Albon clocked 1m33s671.
This Thursday’s session was a test bench for the different categories, which were able to test all their weapons for next March 5 in Bahrain, where the first race of the 2023 season will take place on the circuit known as Shakir, with a extension of 5,412 kilometers and 15 curves.
The top five placed in today’s competition were completed by Guanyu Zhou (Alfa Romeo) and George Russell (Mercedes), while further back were Nico Hulkenberg (Haas), Felipe Drugovich (Aston Martin), Yuki Tsunoda (AlphaTauri), Pierre Gasly (Alpine) and Oscar Piastri (McLaren).