Marko Hanželic
The first chapter of the new season started with today's first free practice on the racetrack Bahrain International Circuit in much friendlier weather than we witnessed fourteen days ago, when pre-season testing took place at the said racetrack. Nonetheless, the fact remains that the first free workout in the scorching sun does not yield excessively representative results, as the race is in the evening, when temperatures are much lower than today 34 degrees Celsius.
Pirelli has prepared for this racing weekend C2 to C4 tires. Pirelli also allowed the teams to perform this year with lower pressure in tires like last year. While in 2020 it was necessary to have values of 22,5 psi (front) and 21,0 psi (rear), only this year it is possible to drive with 21,0 and 19,0 psi. The change is due to the use of new blends that are more durable than those used last year.
He was the first to hit the track today Fernando Alonso, and soon after him, a bunch of other race cars rushed onto the track, and minute by minute the picture of this year's strength of individual teams seemed clearer. In the initial part of the first free practice, he took care of the best time Lewis Hamilton, which was 1: 32,2 minutes faster than Verstappen, Bottas in Laziness.
Last year’s main theme of free practice and qualifications, driving through arbitrarily set limits the racetrack was not in the forefront this time, though the racers, especially in the fourth turn, went quite wide. In the meantime Lando Norris took care of the new best brand, 1: 31,8 minutes.
In the last fifteen minutes, they both showed the first signs of life Ferrari - Carlos Sainz broke through to fourth, Charles Leclerc even elsewhere. They also took care of a rather colorful line-up at the top Daniel Ricciardo in Pierre Gasly, but the best were just preparing for their final trials.
He was the first to make a change at the top Valtteri Bottas, Hamilton was not the best in the fast lap, but he succeeded Max Verstappn, who overtook Finca at the top by three tenths of a second. In the end, the Dutchman got his first free practice ahead of Bottas, landing in third place Land Norris.
Let's see where he ended up Sebastian Vettel - The German was twelfth at the end, a place ahead of his teammate Stroll, followed by both Alpine racers, and both in the background Haas's newcomer, Schumacher in mazepin, which may suggest that Williams might be stronger than the American team this year.
GP Bahrain, FP1 - results:
| M | The driver | Team | Hour |
| 1 | M. Verstappen | Red Bull | 1:31.394 |
| 2 | V. Bottas | Mercedes | 1:31.692 |
| 3 | L.Norris | McLaren | 1:31.897 |
| 4 | L. Hamilton | Mercedes | 1:31.921 |
| 5 | C.Leclerc | Ferrari | 1:31.993 |
| 6 | S. Perez | Red Bull | 1:32.071 |
| 7 | P. Gasly | Alpha Tauri | 1:32.195 |
| 8 | C.Sainz | Ferrari | 1:32.366 |
| 9 | D. Ricciardo | McLaren | 1:32.434 |
| 10 | A. Giovinazzi | Alfa Romeo | 1:32.786 |
| 11 | K. RäikkÜnen | Alfa Romeo | 1:33.134 |
| 12 | S. Vettel | Aston Martin | 1:33.157 |
| 13 | L. Stroll | Aston Martin | 1:33.233 |
| 14 | Y.Tsunoda | Alpha Tauri | 1:33.329 |
| 15 | E. Ocon | Alpine | 1:33.528 |
| 16 | F. Alonso | Alpine | 1:33.872 |
| 17 | Mr. Russell | Williams | 1:34.127 |
| 18 | N. Latifi | Williams | 1:34.340 |
| 19 | Mr. Schumacher | Haas F1 | 1:34.501 |
| 20 | N. Mazepin | Haas F1 | 1:34.975 |
