Sports writing (EFE) Bahrain), ahead of the Spanish Carlos Sainz (Ferrari).
Verstappen, who completed 71 laps of the Bahraini track, set a best time of 1:32.959, almost three tenths better than Sainz’s (1:33.253), while the Thai Alexander Albon (Williams) achieved the third best time with 1: 33,671.
The Madrid driver was the fastest in the middle of the session, but Verstappen responded with his best lap with 40 minutes to go.
The day got off to a discouraging start for Spanish Fernando Alonso’s new team, Aston Martin, when the car started by Brazilian Felipe Drugovich, reserve driver who replaced the injured Lance Stroll, skidded off the track at turn 4 for a crash. electronic problem, according to Mike Krack, the team boss, and forced to show the red flag for 25 minutes, the only one of the session.
Then Drugovich, with the problem fixed, rolled without further alterations and completed 40 laps with a best time of 1:34.564, seventh in the morning. In the afternoon, Fernando Alonso will get on the vehicle.
The Chinese Guanyu Zhou (Alfa Romeo) achieved the fourth time, 0.764 behind Verstappen, and the British George Russell (Mercedes) the fifth, 1.215 behind. Australian Oscar Piastri and his McLaren were the slowest at 1:34.888.
Haas presented his VF-23 before training began. German Nico Hulkenberg then finished sixth with a best lap of 1:34.424.
This afternoon in Bahrain the second session will take place, in which Fernando Alonso, Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris are expected to participate along with Verstappen, who will continue behind the wheel of Red Bull.