Triple world champion Max Verstappen made sure it was business as usual, despite uncertainty surrounding his Red Bull team boss Christian Horner, by leading the way as Formula One began pre-season testing in Bahrain on Wednesday. The 26-year-old Dutch driver, winner of a record 19 of 22 races last season, was top of the morning session with a lap quicker than the fastest effort on the first day at the same Sakhir circuit last year.
His time of one minute and 32.548 seconds in the morning sunshine compared to 1:32.837 last year. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc was second with Fernando Alonso third for Aston Martin and the last driver within a second of Verstappen. Australian Oscar Piastri lapped fourth fastest for McLaren. The season starts in Bahrain on March 2.