Verstappen pips Schumacher in rain-disrupted first Bahrain test!
Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen topped the timesheet on the first day Bahrain’s in-season test, the Dutchman edging impressive Ferrari rookie Mick Schumacher by six-tenths of a second.
Teams’ programmes were partly undermined by the elements as rain inundated the Sakhir circuit twice, with the second spell of rain preventing any running for several hours.
Bahrain in-season test – Day 1
1
Verstappen
Red Bull Racing
1:29.379
62
2
Schumacher
Ferrari
1:29.976
56
3
Norris
McLaren
1:30.800
22
4
Grosjean
Haas
1:30.982
42
5
Albon
Toro Rosso
1:31.089
71
6
Hamilton
Mercedes
1:31.156
77
7
Ricciardo
Renault
1:31.584
45
8
Stroll
Racing Point
1:3.964
32
9
Sainz
McLaren
1:32.059
32
10
Giovinazzi
Alfa Romeo
1:32.067
53
11
Alonso
McLaren
1:32.207
64
12
Fittipaldi
Haas
1:32.708
20
13
Kubica
Williams
1:33.290
19
14
Kvyat
Toro Rosso
1:33.653
45
15
Russell
Williams
1:33.682
27
Needless to say, when Sakhir opened for business on Tuesday morning, the attention was polarized at the outset by Mick Schumacher and Ferrari as the young German made his grand F1 début.
Schumacher took it one step at a time, consistently raking in the laps during his baptism of fire.
The other man who generated a bit of interest was Fernando Alonso, the Spaniard making a one-off come-back with McLaren for the purpose of testing Pirelli’s 2020 tyres.
Teams’ programmes were temporarily halted when heavy rain set in. It wasn’t a lengthy interruption however and when the action resumed, Haas’ Romain Grosjean laid down the first benchmark time of the day, the Frenchman heading the timesheet with a 1m30.982.
It was Lewis Hamilton however who put in the most miles before the lunchbreak, with 50 laps under his belt, the fastest of which was 1.3s off Grosjean’s best.
Alex Albon headed into the mid-day break second fastest for Toro Rosso, followed by Red Bull’s max Verstappen and McLaren’s Carlos Sainz.
Unfortunately, the day’s schedule was disrupted after lunch when the heavens opened once again, delaying any track action for several hours as no teams had selected wet or intermediate tyres for this week’s test.
Eventually however, Hamilton ventured out when the circuit finally dried, followed by others who resumed their programmes.
With many upping the pace, times started to tumble, with Max Verstappen beating Grosjean’s benchmark lap. But with 25 minutes remaining in the session the Dutchman was overhauled at the top by none other than… Mick Schumacher!
From the press room to the paddock and the pitlane, the sight of the famous name at the top of the timing screen put a smile on everyone’s face.
Schumacher, running on the softest C5 compound, sustained his momentum, dipping the first under the 1m30 barrier with a lap in 1m29.379.
But C3-shod Verstappen had no intention of letting the impressive rookie steal his thunder, the Red bull driver pipping the Ferrari charger by 0.6 in the closing stages of the session.
Still, it was a good and productive maiden run for Schumacher who will be back in action tomorrow with Alfa Romeo.
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