Max sixth fastest first free practice in Bahrain

Published on 27 November 2020 by Mike Motilall

Max Verstappen finished the first free practice in the run up to the Bahrain Grand Prix sixth fastest. World champion Lewis Hamilton was the quickest in his Mercedes ahead of his team mate Valtteri Bottas who crossed the line in P2. On the 5,412 meter long Bahrain International Circuit, Sergio Perez took the third fastest time in his Racing Point. McLaren running Carlos Sainz and Pierre Gasly’s AlphaTauri rounded out the top five. Max’ team mate at Aston Martin Red Bull Racing, Alexander Albon, came home in seventh.

At the start of the session it remained a question whether the weather would play a part. It is 27 degrees Centigrade with a 40% chance of rain. At Williams, Roy Nissany has once again taken George Russell’s seat while Robert Kubica will be driving instead of Kimi Raikkonen. When the lights turn green, it’s Albon who is the first to take to the track. During the first two practice sessions tyre tests will be conducted. Some drivers head out on Pirelli prototype tyres for next year. These are unmarked tyres. Kevin Magnussen is the first one to get a timed lap.

After about six minutes, Max is also out on track. He does an installation lap and then heads back in. After ten minutes only eleven drivers have had a time noted. Max is twelfth without having set a time, but has done three laps by then. It has taken Albon twenty minutes to finish his first stint on the Pirelli 2021-tyres. After eight laps he heads back in to the pits while he has set a fourth fastest time on the leaderboard.

After 25 minutes Max heads back out on track during a relative quiet period with little to no action on track. The Dutchman is out and about on the soft compound tyres. His first timed lap puts him third, behind Albon and, seven-time world champion, Hamilton. Moments later Romain Grosjean triggers the first yellow flag of the day. The Frenchman loses control of his Haas in Turn seven and goes off track. Luckily he hits nothing or nobody and is able to limp back to the pits. Max has also returned to the Red Bull Racing team by then.

It is normally mandatory, after 40 minutes, in the first free practice, for the drivers to hand back in their first set of tyres. But because of the 2021-tyres this is not the case in Bahrain. Almost all the drivers are now in the pits, with the exception of both McLarens and Mercedes.

After 50 minutes Pierre Gasly takes a leap to the top of the timesheet. Moments later Bottas demotes the Frenchman. Max is in the pits at that moment. With still 36 minutes remaining on the clock he also ventures out. He has a set of prototypes strapped on to his RB16. He spins at the final corner during his installation lap but is able to continue on. He reports on the radio that he has flat spotted his tyres. This appears to be not that serious because Max is able to remain out on track and proceed as was previously planned.

The conditions during this session are not comparable to those that the drivers will be facing for the rest of the weekend and that is probably the reason why there isn’t that much action out on track.

In the closing stages of the session Max stays in the pits for quite some time. Together with team mate Albon and Renault-runner Daniel Ricciardo they form a threesome that choose not to venture out with still seven minutes remaining on the clock. Max’ Red Bull is busy getting worked on by the mechanics and with just a couple of minutes remaining Max gets out of the car, the first free practice is over for him.

Contest GP Bahrain: win a by Max signed Red Bull Racing driver cap!

Results first free practice Bahrain: