F1 testing: Fastest current champion Verstappen, but just a hair ahead of Alonso

The current F1 world champion, Max Verstappen, was the fastest driver on the first day of winter testing in Bahrain, but the driver's time of 1:32.837 was only 0.029 seconds closer to Fernando Alonso, who replaced the Alpine team's racing car for a green Aston Martin this year. The Dutchman drove the Red Bull Racing RB19 by far the most laps among all the drivers, 157, and he will remain in the car until Friday morning, and in the afternoon he will hand the car over to his team-mate Sergio Perez, who will then perform test duties for the entire last day , Saturday.

Ferrari's Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc set the third and fourth times, while McLaren's Lando Norris set the fifth time.

Lewis Hamilton, who took over the W14 car in the afternoon, set a sixth time, 0.671 seconds slower than Verstappen's. Williams driver Alex Albon was seventh ahead of Zhou Guanyu, George Russell and rookie Logan Sargeant.

F1 2023 Bahrain Testing Day 1:

Verstappen, Red Bull, 1:32.837 – 157 laps
Alonso, Aston Martin, 1:32.866 – 60 laps
Sainz, Ferrari, 1:33.253 – 72 laps
Leclerc, Ferrari, 1:33.257 – 61 laps
Norris, McLaren, 1:33.762 – 40 laps
Hamilton, Mercedes, 1:33.508 – 81 laps
Albon, Williams, 1:33.671 – 74 laps
Zhou, Alfa Romeo, 1:33.723 – 67 laps
Russell, Mercedes, 1:34.174 – 69 laps
Sargeant, Williams, 1:34.324 – 75 laps
Hulkenberg, Haas, 1:34.424 – 51 laps
Bottas, Alfa Romeo, 1:34.558 – 71 laps
De Vries, AlphaTauri, 1:34.559 – 83 laps
Drugovich, Aston Martin, 1:34.564 – 40 laps
Tsunoda, AlphaTauri, 1:34.671 – 46 laps
Gasly, Alpine, 1:34.822 – 60 laps
Ocon, Alpine, 1:34.871 – 52 laps
Piastri, McLaren, 1:34.888 – 52 laps
Magnussen, Haas, 1:35.087 – 55 laps