Bahrain GP: Max Verstappen fastest for Red Bull ahead of Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas in first practice

Red Bull and Max Verstappen start fastest at the Bahrain GP which opens the Formula 1 season; Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas second and Lewis Hamilton fourth; Promising starts for McLaren and Ferrari

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Watch the fastest lap of Max Verstappen who took top honors for Red Bull Man in Practice One in Bahrain.

Max Verstappen gave a first look at the pace Mercedes thinks they will make Red Bull favorites for the Bahrain GP which opens the season by overtaking the 2021 Formula 1 opening practice session.

In the first of Friday’s shortened 60-minute workouts, Verstappen posted the fastest time of 1: 31.394 in the dying minutes of the hour under the scorching desert sun.

Valtteri Bottas was second, but 0.3 seconds behind the lead Mercedes, with Lewis Hamilton drifting half a second in fourth.

McLaren, meanwhile, made an encouraging start to the weekend with Lando Norris fourth in his new Mercedes-powered challenger which showed promise in testing, also in Bahrain, a fortnight ago.

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Take a quick look at some of the special features and interviews we have coming to Sky Sports F1 in the new season!

Charles Leclerc was fifth for a Ferrari team aiming to take a big step forward this year, with new Red Bull signing Sergio Perez sixth in the second RB16B.

More soon…