F1

Formula 1 has released the 2023 calendar, format and details for its inaugural all-female F1 Academy season.

To spice things up, the grid for the second race will be set by reversing the top eight finishers of the first qualifying session. ART Grand Prix, Campos Racing, Carlin, MP Motorsport and Prema Racing have all signed up for the championship. However, each round will feature three races.

Formula 1 cars were fired up and sent out on track together for the first time in 2023 as pre-season testing got under way in Sakhir on Thursday, ...

After launches, shakedowns and various filming days, the paddock convened at the Bahrain International Circuit for three days of running, with teams and drivers bidding to learn as much as they can about their new cars. Flick through the image gallery above for a closer look at the 2023 F1 grid. After the green light switched on at the end of the pit lane at 1000 local time, all 10 cars were quick to hit the circuit, albeit with Aston Martin reserve driver Felipe Drugovich stopping early on amid apparent technical problems.

Two teenage female drivers say they hope the new F1 Academy will break down barriers in the sport.

"I don't want to be seen as a female driver, I just want to be seen as a driver. I've got to get physically fitter and things like that. But are they finally taking women seriously with the introduction of the new F1 Academy? A female driver hasn't competed in a Formula 1 grand prix since 1976. "As soon as I heard about the series, the backing of Formula 1 and the teams and people involved, I was extremely keen to be part of this first historic season," she tells Newsbeat. "And if it's not me, I want it to be the next generation.

F1 Academy has revealed the calendar and format for its inaugural season of racing, with the all-women series set to feature seven events, with 21 races in ...

“Our goal was to be able to race on as many Formula 1 Grand Prix tracks as possible, with circuits that could be a great challenge for the drivers. We will reveal the rest of the dates in due time.” One point for the fastest lap time will be up for grabs in each race, provided the driver finishes within the top 10. Race 2’s grid will be set by reversing the top eight drivers from Qualifying 1, with ninth and below lining up in the positions they qualified in. From there, June 23-25 will see them pay a trip to the historic Zandvoort circuit in the Netherlands. 8th 4

Max Verstappen set the pace during the opening morning of pre-season testing in Bahrain.

Ahead of the 2023 F1 season, RacingNews365.com journalists Dieter Rencken and Michael Butterworth look back on a winter break laden with intrigue and controversy. [Red Bull](/formula-1-teams/red-bull) driver set the pace with a lap of 1:32.959, as well as completing 71 laps during the morning. Max Verstappen topped the timesheets as the first session of F1 2023 pre-season testing got underway in Bahrain.

Max Verstappen ensured a familiar-looking timesheet to kick off Formula 1 2023's pre-season test by out-pacing Carlos Sainz in the opening morning session ...

Immediately, they've got a few tenths, maybe even half a second, out of a lighter chassis itself. "Nine, 10 months of development after last year's car didn't work out. Next, will be a focus on performance. "It's just a stiff ride. "They've got their car in a bit of a different place at the moment to the likes of Ferrari." Verstappen set the pace with a 1:32.959, a time that was three-tenths quicker than Sainz and significantly faster than the laps this time last year as these F1 cars enter the second season of a much-changed generation.

Reigning world champion Max Verstappen started the 2023 Formula One season where he left off in 2022 by topping the first morning of testing in Bahrain.

Piastri - McLaren - 1:34.888 - 52 laps Gasly - Alpine - 1:34.822 - 60 laps Hulkenberg - Haas - 1:34.424 - 51 laps Russell - Mercedes - 1:34.174 - 69 laps Albon - Williams - 1:33.671 - 74 laps Sainz - Ferrari - 1:33.253 - 72 laps

Live updates from pre-season testing ahead of the 2023 F1 season, including full testing schedule, driver lineups and the latest updates from the pit wall.

(Reuters) – Formula One kicked off three days of pre-season testing in Bahrain on Thursday with Red Bull's double world champion Max Verstappen starting as ...

We were able to do the run plan and everything is going well so far.” The most important was to do mileage and we had no issue. “He was generally happy with the car.

Ferrari's long-serving race strategy engineer Ravin Jain has taken over from Spaniard Inaki Rueda as the head of strategy of the iconic car-maker's F1 team.

Reports say the Ferrari F1 team management decided to promote Jain following quite a few high-profile errors last season. Ferrari did well last season with Charles Leclerc finishing second behind title winner Max Verstappen of Red Bull. In the backdrop of the two questionable decisions, Ferrari’s new team principal Fred Vasseur, who took over from Mattia Binotto, decided to ease out Rueda from the role and make the Oxford-graduate Indian with a first-class degree in physics, the head of strategy.

Pre-season is finally here! Follow us for all the live action as it happens on the opening day of testing in Bahrain.

Our first green light of the season will appear in 30 minutes’ time for the first four-hour session of the day until 1415 local time. 1044: You may have seen over the course of the off season that we have launched a brand-new F1 channel with GFN called On Track GP and our first predictions video is out now! 1245: Only a couple of cars out on track at the moment, Sainz and Drugovich. All is calm and serene at the moment as the drivers crack on with their programmes. The first session of the Formula 1 2023 season is in the books. As for the rest, Oscar Piastri, Zhou Guanyu, Felipe Drugovich, Nico Hulkenberg, Yuki Tsunoda and Alex Albon will all be in action. George Russell is first in the queue. 1200: We’ve hit the two-hour mark of the first morning session and it’s absolutely flown by! As it was for the majority of 2022, Max Verstappen is at the top of the timesheets while it is Carlos Sainz behind him and the surprise sight of Alex Albon in P3. 1515: Welcome back to Bahrain for the afternoon session. Promotion is available to new subscriptions only and discounted subscriptions will auto-renew to full price unless cancelled prior to the date of renewal. Verstappen tops the timesheets while rookies Drugovich and Piastri get out on track.

Australian rookie Oscar Piastri made a slow but steady start to F1 testing in Bahrain as the new McLaren driver took part in the first of six sessions ahead ...

Buxton replied: “But it was to a relatively junior team. “I know things have changed in their approach. The behaviour is a bit different because of the tyres but otherwise, we are happy.” It’s pressure for a reason. He hasn’t raced in anything and not won the championship since 2018, he finished 8th.” “Perhaps there’s a bit of going in the wrong direction of last year but lessons were learnt and just because the sidepods are the same and the car looks similar, it doesn’t mean it fundamentally has the same philosophy. Former F1 driver Jolyon Palmer responded: “I would put in the category (Max) Verstappen, coming in as a 17-year-old, because he was promoted so quickly.” To McLaren, a team that’s hoping to punch for podiums and as we’ve seen in the last few years, race wins?” “If you’re expecting to the see the RB19 as completely different with heaps of differences to the RB18, you’re going to be disappointed,” Ted Kravitz said on Sky Sports F1. Sergeant, Williams, 1:34.324 (75) The 2021 Formula 2 champion was the slowest of 10 drivers on Thursday night (AEDT) after it took nearly two hours for him to record a full lap time. Albon, Williams, 1:33.671 (74)

Max Verstappen narrowly topped the opening day of 2023 Formula 1 pre-season testing in Bahrain, as the Red Bull driver held onto the fastest time from Aston ...

[PrimePrimeFormula 1 ](/f1/news/what-williamss-new-boss-must-do-to-change-the-fortunes-of-f1s-backmarker/10433683/) [PrimePrimeFormula 1 ](/f1/news/the-ferrari-comeback-of-american-f1-icon-mario-andretti/10433953/) [PrimePrimeFormula 1 ](/f1/news/grand-prix-racings-forgotten-year-of-change/10434140/) [PrimePrimeFormula 1 ](/f1/news/the-alarm-that-still-sounds-from-the-fias-driver-expression-clampdown/10434901/) [PrimePrimeFormula 1 ](/f1/news/the-hard-numbers-behind-red-bulls-f1-cost-cap-penalty/10435004/) [Zhou Guanyu](https://www.motorsport.com/driver/zhou-guanyu/289725/) in eighth for [Alfa Romeo](https://www.motorsport.com/team/alfa-romeo/17890/), ahead of team-mate [Valtteri Bottas](https://www.motorsport.com/driver/valtteri-bottas/13082/) in 12th, F1 returnee [Nico Hulkenberg](https://www.motorsport.com/driver/nico-hulkenberg/9327/) produced an impressive start to his full-time comeback with 11th for Haas and 51 laps to his name – with [Kevin Magnussen](https://www.motorsport.com/driver/kevin-magnussen/15905/) propping up the timesheet of a field covered by 2.2s. [PrimePrimeFormula 1 ](/f1/news/why-f1s-missing-piece-wont-play-on-his-nationality-for-success/10435390/) [PrimePrimeFormula 1 ](/f1/news/why-red-bulls-evolutionary-rb19-does-not-disappoint/10435559/) [McLaren](https://www.motorsport.com/team/mclaren/10/), as [Lando Norris](https://www.motorsport.com/driver/lando-norris/289316/) lost time, stuck in the garage with the team repairing a wheel fairing issue. [Alex Albon](https://www.motorsport.com/driver/alex-albon/109625/) took seventh for [Williams](https://www.motorsport.com/team/williams/13/) after debuting the FW45 before handing over to F1 rookie [Logan Sargeant](https://www.motorsport.com/driver/logan-sargeant/289607/) for the afternoon session, with the US youngster in 10th place. [PrimePrime Formula 1 ](/f1/news/why-red-bulls-evolutionary-rb19-does-not-disappoint/10435559/) [ Formula 1 ](/f1/news/mercedes-f1-hamilton-catch-up-mode-despite-calmer-w14/10435660/)

(Reuters) -Red Bull's double world champion Max Verstappen was fastest, with Fernando Alonso close behind for Aston Martin, as Formula One started three ...

We were able to do the run plan and everything is going well so far.” “He was generally happy with the car. It seems to be balanced in the right way. A sensible morning, plenty of mileage and some good feedback.” The most important was to do mileage and we had no issue. “It’s always like the first day back at school where everyone is in the new uniforms and seeing the cars in their colours,” said Red Bull boss Christian Horner of the first day with all the 2023 cars on track together.

The full results from the opening day of the F1 pre-season test at the Bahrain International Circuit.

[Download our F1 calendar](https://racingnews365.com/download-the-2023-f1-calendar-to-your-agenda) [click here](https://racingnews365.com/alonso-puts-in-surprise-effort-to-get-close-to-verstappen/). [Max Verstappen](/formula-1-drivers/max-verstappen) set the fastest lap of the day in Bahrain.

Eagle-eyed viewers and commentators noticed something new about the SF-23 during the first testing session.

[aerodynamically](https://www.sbnation.com/23584739/the-f1-glossary) with the design, perhaps looking to shave off a few milliseconds here and there with the flex at the front of the SF-23. When Sainz slowed and/or applied the brakes, that carbon fiber would return to its normal position. But eagle-eyed viewers and commentators noticed a dimple in the nose cone of their SF-23, Ferrari’s challenger for the 2023 F1 season:

World champion Max Verstappen posted the fastest time Thursday on the first day of Formula 1 preseason testing in Bahrain.

Max Verstappen was looking more than satisfied to finish the first day of pre-season testing in Bahrain on top of the timesheets.

There are a lot of races on the calendar where you need different things from the car, so step-by-step.” “It was good," Verstappen said when he stepped out of the cockpit after the chequered flag brought the first day of testing to a close. "But the car is running well, and I think that’s the most important. "It's a bit of an evolution from last year. Compared to last year, there are few regulation changes coming into effect this season meaning that the upgrades on the 2023 cars are fairly minimal. "Indeed, we are more competitive than we were last year to start off."

While Max Verstappen topping the timesheets on day one of Formula 1 testing will have been a turn off for some, few definitive conclusions can be drawn from ...

But that is not a conclusion that can be drawn solely and securely from events at the Sakhir circuit on Thursday. Red Bull has once again built the fastest ground-effects car and the double world champion has lost nothing of his edge. [ topping the first day of 2023 testing in Bahrain](https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/2023-f1-bahrain-test-verstappen-shades-alonso-to-top-opening-day-of-testing/10435581/) is the headline that Formula 1 probably didn’t want the media to be writing.

The German manufacturer had an encouraging opening day to pre-season F1 testing in Bahrain on Thursday, its 2023 challenger proving to be much better ...

[PrimePrimeFormula 1 ](/f1/news/the-hard-numbers-behind-red-bulls-f1-cost-cap-penalty/10435004/) [PrimePrimeFormula 1 ](/f1/news/why-f1s-missing-piece-wont-play-on-his-nationality-for-success/10435390/) [PrimePrimeFormula 1 ](/f1/news/why-red-bulls-evolutionary-rb19-does-not-disappoint/10435559/) “The car has run faultlessly from start to finish and that has allowed us to complete an ambitious programme for day one,” he said. “We've got to keep pushing, focus on ourselves, and stay focused,” he explained. Hopefully the car continues to run like clockwork, and we can make the most of the remaining track time.”

Reigning world champion Max Verstappen topped the timesheet on the opening day of Formula 1 pre-season testing in Bahrain as Red Bull received "positive ...

"A lot of laps, which is of course what we wanted. 18) Oscar Piastri 15) Yuki Tsunoda 14) Felipe Drugovich 10) Logan Sargeant 9) George Russell 7) Alex Albon 6) Lewis Hamilton 5) Lando Norris 4) Charles Leclerc 2) Fernando Alonso 1) Max Verstappen

Formula 1 has released the 2023 calendar, format and details for its inaugural all-female F1 Academy season.

To spice things up, the grid for the second race will be set by reversing the top eight finishers of the first qualifying session. ART Grand Prix, Campos Racing, Carlin, MP Motorsport and Prema Racing have all signed up for the championship. However, each round will feature three races.

Red Bull's Max Verstappen ended the first day of 2023 pre-season testing in Bahrain on top of the timesheets ahead of Fernando Alonso.

Rookie driver Logan Sargeant was tenth quickest just ahead of Nico Hulkenberg, returning to the sport this year with Haas. We were able to do the run plan and everything is going well." The most important thing was to do mileage, and we had no issues. After the break he managed to reduce his time by just over a tenth. C3 Verstappen was the only driver to stay in the cockpit all day, meaning that none of the others taking part managed to follow him past the 100 lap milestone.

Motorsports News: Mercedes enjoyed a faultless first day of Formula One testing on Thursday with seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton hailing the ...

"It was encouraging that it's a much calmer, more stable platform to work with than the W13." "It's good to be back in the car," he said. "I think we have a solid base now to work from and try to optimise the car."

Ravin Jain has been working at Ferrari for the last seven years and after some costly errors in the pit last season, the car-maker took a big decision to ...

Rueda will continue to be a part of the team with a factory-based sporting role at Ferrari's headquarters in Maranello. Jain joined Scuderia Ferrari in 2017 and, over the last six years, rose to the post of Race Strategy Engineer. If reports are to be believed, Ferrari took the decision to promote Jain after some costly errors were made last season.

Formula 1 has revealed the full calendar and the weekend format for the all-female F1 Academy series that aims to increase the participation of women in ...

Our goal was to be able to race on as many Formula 1 Grand Prix tracks as possible, with circuits that could be a great challenge for the drivers. Pirelli will be the official tyre supplier, as with F1 and its other support categories. The exact schedule of the remaining test days will be revealed in the coming weeks, according to a press release issued by F1.

Follow live as Formula 1 pre-season testing continues in Bahrain ahead of the 2023 season with the second day of the single test.

[Formula 1 ](/f1/news/live-f1-bahrain-pre-season-test-day-2-10435694/10435694/) [Formula 1 ](/f1/news/the-250000-saving-behind-haas-f1-teams-mini-prat-perch/10435811/) [5Formula 1 ](/f1/news/2023-f1-bahrain-test-verstappen-shades-alonso-to-top-opening-day-of-testing/10435581/)

Formula 1 pre-testing 2023 has become the talk of the town. It began with a slam bang in Bahrain on February 23, 2023. The ten teams and 20 drivers will ...

The Day 2 of Formula 1 Pre-Testing Season 2023 is on February 24. Formula 1 pre-testing 2023 has become the talk of the town. The Day 2 of Formula 1 pre-testing 2023 on February 24 will follow a similar schedule as Day 1.

Formula 1 testing is underway in Bahrain and, with cars finally running in public, the first technical tricks that teams have deployed for 2023 are no ...

[PrimePrimeFormula 1 ](/f1/news/grand-prix-racings-forgotten-year-of-change/10434140/) [PrimePrimeFormula 1 ](/f1/news/the-alarm-that-still-sounds-from-the-fias-driver-expression-clampdown/10434901/) [PrimePrimeFormula 1 ](/f1/news/the-hard-numbers-behind-red-bulls-f1-cost-cap-penalty/10435004/) [PrimePrimeFormula 1 ](/f1/news/why-f1s-missing-piece-wont-play-on-his-nationality-for-success/10435390/) [PrimePrimeFormula 1 ](/f1/news/why-red-bulls-evolutionary-rb19-does-not-disappoint/10435559/) [ WEC ](/wec/news/nakajima-toyota-reserve-2023-drivers/10432227/) [ DTM ](/dtm/news/aitken-secures-dtm-seat-in-emil-frey-ferrari/10435820/) The Red Bull RB19 finally broke cover, giving us a wide array of details to examine. [ DTM ](/dtm/news/dtm-race-winners-preining-olsen-to-race-manthey-ema-porsches-in-2023/10435768/) [Giorgio Piola](https://www.giorgiopiola.com) [Motorsport Images](https://www.motorsportimages.com) [ Formula 1 ](/f1/news/alfa-romeo-looks-to-have-cured-two-key-weaknesses-with-its-f1-2023-car-/10435831/)

Haas is one of three teams, including Red Bull and Mercedes, to have mounted a winglet on the inboard rear quarter of the front wing endplate.

[PlusPlusFormula 1 ](/f1/news/grand-prix-racings-forgotten-year-of-change/10433989/) [PlusPlusFormula 1 ](/f1/news/the-alarm-that-still-sounds-from-the-fias-driver-expression-clampdown/10434686/) [PlusPlusFormula 1 ](/f1/news/why-red-bulls-evolutionary-rb19-does-not-disappoint/10435575/) [PlusPlusFormula 1Bahrain February Testing ](/f1/news/why-f1s-missing-piece-wont-play-on-his-nationality-for-success/10435087/) The flap is raised above the floor level and has a number of flow-diverting elements to help focus the airflow as it emerges from out under the floor. [PlusPlusFormula 1Bahrain February Testing ](/f1/news/what-we-learned-on-day-one-of-f1-testing-in-bahrain/10435650/) [PlusPlusFormula 1Bahrain February Testing ](/f1/news/has-f1s-porpoising-problem-been-eradicated-in-the-2023-cars/10435666/) The Red Bull RB19 finally broke cover, giving us a wide array of details to examine. [VASC Supercars ](/supercars/news/the-big-questions-facing-supercars-as-its-new-era-begins/10435843/) [Giorgio Piola](https://www.giorgiopiola.com) [WRC WRC ](/wrc/news/toyota-set-for-very-important-rally-mexico-wrc-pre-event-test/10435919/) [Motorsport Images](https://www.motorsportimages.com)

Results from F1 preseason testing: The Sporting News will be keeping track of how Mercedes, Red Bull and the other teams get on in Bahrain.

06:50 - 11:30 ET 01:50 - 6:00 ET 06:50 - 11:00 GMT With just five minutes on the clock, Felipe Drugovich — who is testing for the British team this week after contracted driver Lance Stroll suffered injuries in a bike accident — pulled his car to the side of the track due to a failure. 11:50 - 16:30 GMT 19:50 - 00:00 AEDT

Formula 1's plans to ban tyre blankets from 2024 will face a final vote involving teams, the FIA and FOM after this year's British Grand Prix in July.

[PrimePrimeFormula 1 ](/f1/news/why-f1s-missing-piece-wont-play-on-his-nationality-for-success/10435390/) [PrimePrimeFormula 1 ](/f1/news/why-red-bulls-evolutionary-rb19-does-not-disappoint/10435559/) It is difficult." "But it's not the same because F1 is a different championship. But it's a very big challenge. Pirelli's head of F1 and car racing Mario Isola told Motorsport.com: "Silverstone is one of the races where we have two days of testing after the race.

Carlos Sainz set the pace as the second day of F1 2023 pre-season testing got underway in Bahrain. The Ferrari driver topped the timesheets with a lap of ...

[Yuki Tsunoda](/formula-1-drivers/yuki-tsunoda) was the driver to complete the most laps during the morning, with a lap count of 85. Ahead of the 2023 F1 season, RacingNews365.com journalists Dieter Rencken and Michael Butterworth look back on a winter break laden with intrigue and controversy. [Ferrari](/formula-1-teams/ferrari) driver topped the timesheets with a lap of 1:32.486, while [Williams](/formula-1-teams/williams) rookie Logan Sargeant was 0.063 seconds behind in P2.

Mercedes' distinctive 2022 endplate was made illegal in the 2023 Formula 1 rules, but the team has found a way to replicate its effect.

Instead, the additions to Article 3.9.3 dictated the orientation and location of the intersections between the front wing profiles and the endplate in detail. Essentially Mercedes has responded to the rules putting new limits on where it could position certain elements of its wing design by finding a different space to place those elements so they still achieve the desired effect. Those on the second and third front wing elements (in red) are straightforward connections. What Mercedes opted to do is move the end of the front wing profiles slightly inboard then connect them to the endplate with narrow stays, which fulfils the requirement for continuity. The F1 show car shows a simple interpretation of these regulations, creating a gentle upward curve as the front wing profiles blend into the vertical endplate. This was removed for the first issue of the 2023 regulations to allow for greater precision.

Formula 1's plans to ban tyre blankets from 2024 will face a final vote involving teams, the FIA and FOM after this year's British Grand Prix in July.

[PlusPlusFormula 1Bahrain February Testing ](/f1/news/does-f1-testing-need-an-injection-of-fresh-excitement/10436377/) "But it's not the same because F1 is a different championship. It is difficult." But it's a very big challenge. Pirelli's head of F1 and car racing Mario Isola told Autosport: "Silverstone is one of the races where we have two days of testing after the race. "I believe that it's a target of everyone to go in this direction for sustainability, but clearly nobody wants to damage the show.

Ferrari's Carlos Sainz set the fastest time on the second morning of Formula 1 2023 pre-season testing, holding off Williams rookie Logan Sargeant in ...

[PrimePrimeFormula 1 ](/f1/news/grand-prix-racings-forgotten-year-of-change/10434140/) [PrimePrimeFormula 1 ](/f1/news/the-alarm-that-still-sounds-from-the-fias-driver-expression-clampdown/10434901/) [PrimePrimeFormula 1 ](/f1/news/the-hard-numbers-behind-red-bulls-f1-cost-cap-penalty/10435004/) [PrimePrimeFormula 1 ](/f1/news/why-f1s-missing-piece-wont-play-on-his-nationality-for-success/10435390/) [PrimePrimeFormula 1 ](/f1/news/why-red-bulls-evolutionary-rb19-does-not-disappoint/10435559/) [Yuki Tsunoda](https://www.motorsport.com/driver/yuki-tsunoda/828523/) was Friday morning's productivity king, logging a mammoth 85 laps as he finished bottom on the timesheets. [PrimePrimeFormula 1Bahrain February Testing ](/f1/news/what-we-learned-on-day-one-of-f1-testing-in-bahrain/10435678/) On the second start, Norris provided some minor excitement by stalling ahead of Sainz, who had to swerve to avoid hitting the McLaren. [PrimePrimeFormula 1Bahrain February Testing ](/f1/news/f1-porpoising-problem-been-eradicated-in-the-2023-cars/10435684/) [ Formula 1 ](/f1/news/russell-mercedes-has-good-problems-to-solve-with-2023-f1-car/10435960/) The Mexican completed 76 laps, the best of which kept him in seventh. [ Formula 1 ](/f1/news/mclaren-failed-to-hit-development-targets-with-2023-f1-car-/10435975/)

F1: Team principal Toto Wolff said the Mercedes car was out of balance for the second day.

"Whether we're going to have that next weekend in Bahrain I think may be a bit of a stretch." Of the 10 drivers on track in the morning session, Sergio Perez was seventh-fastest for Red Bull a contrast to teammate Max Verstappen setting the fastest time the day before and Lewis Hamilton eighth for Mercedes. Set the pace Friday in the morning session of the second day of testing, Mercedes struggled with a set-up issue and McLaren admitted to missing its own targets so far.

Alpine F1 admitted that it had been hampered by some minor interruptions on the second day of pre-season testing at Bahrain International Circuit on Friday, ...

Fresh from his move from Alpine, Fernando Alonso was second quickest on Thursday and remained third in today's latest rankings. Alpine hopes to close off the three-day test and a busy programme on Saturday with Gasly returning to the A523 in the morning, and Ocon finishes the test in the afternoon. Gasly and Ocon were only 17th and 18th quickest on Thursday, and today moved up to P10 and P12 on a day where Alfa Romeo's Zhou Guanyu was a surprise presence at the top of the timesheets.

Mercedes' preparations for the new Formula 1 season took a major hit on the second day of pre-season testing after breaking down on track in Bahrain, ...

"We have some good developments coming - but so does every other single team in Formula 1. "It was a difficult morning," said Hamilton. Day Two "Reliability was again very good and we've been able to explore all the set-ups we targeted to test. Haas and Williams have also been quicker than predicted. Day One Test Day Bahrain pre-season test: Day Two timesheet

Zhou Guanyu shot to the top of the timesheets on Friday evening in Bahrain, where Mercedes brought out a red flag as George Russell's W14 ground to a halt.

The rookie driver finished seventh and led the mileage stakes – more than 150 laps under his belt. The reigning champion shot to second with his first flying effort and 30 minutes into the afternoon he was at the top. The seven-time champion's morning was briefly interrupted by some floor damage and the resulting repairs. Between the Ferraris was Williams' Logan Sargeant, who like Alonso and Zhou drove for the whole day. Mercedes hit trouble just before the sun set, with George Russell (P13) coming to a stop with a hydraulic issue. Sainz's morning stint saw him end up sixth on the board with 70 laps in the Ferrari, with team mate Charles Leclerc taking over to clock more than 60 laps and finish eighth overall.

There was a surprise pacesetter on the second day of 2023 Formula 1 pre-season testing as Alfa Romeo's Zhou Guanyu topped the timesheets in Bahrain.

[PlusPlusFormula 1Bahrain February Testing ](/f1/news/has-f1s-porpoising-problem-been-eradicated-in-the-2023-cars/10435666/) [PlusPlusFormula 1Bahrain February Testing ](/f1/news/what-watching-trackside-in-bahrain-indicates-about-f1-2023/10436101/) [PlusPlusFormula 1Bahrain February Testing ](/f1/news/what-we-learned-on-day-two-of-f1-testing-in-bahrain/10436136/)

Aussie Oscar Piastri's team will hope to resume normal transmission on day two with Lando Norris getting the first run in the papaya machine (from 6pm AEDT).

Looking at what appeared to be a climb up the leaderboard, either to the top of the midfield or potentially close to the front-runners, former F1 driver Anthony Davidson proclaimed: “Is that genuine? Norris, McLaren, 1m35.522s - 52 laps Ocon, Alpine, 1m33.490s - 38 laps Magnussen, Haas, 1m33.442s - 52 laps Sargeant, Williams, 1m33.368s - 58 laps Sainz, Ferrari, 1m32.486s - 50 laps

A late dash from Guanyu Zhou saw Alfa Romeo marginally top the times in Bahrain on the second day of Formula 1 pre-season testing in 2023.

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Alfa Romeo driver Zhou Guanyu set the fastest time of the second day of Formula 1's pre-season test in Bahrain, with the Chinese driver edging out defending ...

Russell had posted 26 laps ahead of his stoppage and Mercedes ended the day with a total of 98 following a solid outing for team-mate Lewis Hamilton in the morning. With the final minutes of the session given over to practice starts and VSC procedures, Zhoou ended the day quickest by 0.040s. De Vries’ team-mate Yuki Tsunoda, meanwhile, propped up the timesheet as he undertook long runs in the morning on harder tyres. The Mercedes driver pulled up midway through the afternoon session with his W14 stuck in fourth gear. Alonso also posted a strong solo total of 130 laps as he drove both sessions. There was trouble for Mercedes, however, as George Russell was forced to stop at the side of the track with hydraulic problems. After taking second spot on the timesheet on day one, Fernando Alonso continued Aston Martin’s impressive start to 2023 with third place. Logan Sargeant put in the day’s biggest lap count, with the Williams rookie getting through 154 laps of the 5.4km course, and he finished seventh ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, who focused his afternoon on long runs. Haas enjoyed a good day at the office with F1 returnee Nico Hulkenberg ion P5 thanks to C4 tyres, ahead of Sainz who finished sixth overall for Ferrari. The stood until late in the session when Zhou emerged on the softest C5 Pirelli tyres and nudged Verstappen out of P1 thanks to a lap of 1:31.610. Verstappen, who ran both sessions in the Red Bull Racing B19 yesterday, handed over driving duties to team-mate Sergio Pérez in day two’s morning session, but after Carlos Sainz claimed top spot in the morning, Verstappen was soon back on top in the afternoon, using C3 tyres to set a time of 1:31.650. Alfa Romeo driver Zhou Guanyu set the fastest time of the second day of Formula 1’s pre-season test in Bahrain, with the Chinese driver edging out defending world champion Max Verstappen by four hundredths of a second.