Formula 1 Grand Prix practice in Bahrain started on Thursday and Daniel Ricciardo (Visa Cash App RB F1 Team – ex-AlphaTauri) was the fastest. Max Verstappen (champion of the last three editions of Grand Circus) showed the sixth time.

>> Formula 1 begins: Max Verstappen and the rest – Records and little-known things from the history of the Grand Circus / Who broadcasts on TV

After 22 laps, Ricciardo stopped the clock at 1:32.869. The Australian was followed by McLaren pilots: Lando Norris and Oscar Piastre.

Reigning world champion Max Verstappen was just sixth, 0.369 seconds behind Ricciardo.

Bahrain Grand Prix, the results recorded in the first practice at the Sahir circuit

Briefly about the Grand Prix of Bahrain

Bahrain International Circuit – Sahir

First Grand Prix: 2004

Track length: 5412 km

Number of rounds: 57

Total distance: 308.238 km

Lap record: 1:31.447 / Pedro de la Rosa (2005 – McLaren).

The track has 3 DRS zones (a system designed to facilitate overtaking in Formula 1).

Learn about MP from Sahir

• The race takes place on the site of a former camel farm in the desert south of the capital, Manama, Reuters reports.

• In 2004, Bahrain became the first Formula 1 Grand Prix in the Middle East. This will be the 20th edition of the event.

• It was not held in 2011 due to social and political unrest, but in 2020 two races were held at this track during the COVID pandemic.

• This will be the first time the race in Bahrain has been held on a Saturday.

• The track offers one of the most abrasive surfaces of the season and the tires wear high.

• Lewis Hamilton took five victories at Sahira (record), all with Mercedes. Fernando Alonso won three times and Ferrari won seven times.

• In 2020, Sergio Perez (now with Red Bull) took his first F1 win at this track, in his 190th start. Then the Mexican played for Racing Point (Aston Martin).

• Lewis Hamilton holds the record for the number of victories in Formula 1: 103 from 332 starts. The Briton has reached 45 consecutive races without a win at the Grand Circus (he last won in Saudi Arabia on December 5, 2021).

• Red Bull won 21 of the 22 races of the 2023 season. Verstappen won 19 stages (a record) and won 31 of the last 33 races.

• Last year, Max Verstappen set a record 21 podiums in a season, but Michael Schumacher remains the only driver to reach the podium in every race of the season (2002 – 17 races).

What happened in 2023 at the Sakhir racetrack

1 Max Verstappen (Red Bull) 1:33:56.736

2 Sergio Perez (Red Bull) +11.987

3 Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) +38.637

Grand Prix of Bahrain, schedule

• Race: March 2, 5:00 p.m

• Qualification: March 1 from 18:00 to 19:00

• Training 3: March 1 from 14:30 to 15:30

• Training 2: February 29 from 17:00 to 18:00

• Practice 1: February 29 from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m

*TV broadcast: Antena 1 (qualification and race).

What you need to know about the 2024 Formula 1 season

• Alfa Romeo ended its partnership with Sauber and left Formula 1 in 2023. Sauber is set to become Audi’s factory team for the 2026 season. The team is currently renamed Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber.

• As of this season, AlphaTauri has become the Visa Cash App RB F1 Team and the team has moved its aerodynamic center to Milton Keynes in the UK.

• The only change to the starting grid from the start of 2023 is the replacement of Nick de Vries with Daniel Ricciardo in the ex-AlphaTauri (this change took place at last year’s Hungarian Grand Prix).

• This will be the first time in the history of Formula 1 when all the drivers who participated in the last Grand Prix of the previous season will start the new season.

• The 2024 season will feature a record 24 Grands Prix, including sprint races at the Chinese, Miami, Austrian, US, Sao Paulo and Qatar Grands Prix.

• The Chinese Grand Prix will return to the calendar after the country last hosted the Grand Prix in 2019. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the race has not been held in recent years.

• The Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix will also return to the Formula 1 circuit, having been canceled in 2023 due to flooding in the area.

• The Russian Grand Prix had a contract with Formula 1 until 2024, but the deal was terminated after Vladimir Putin went to war against Ukraine (February 2022).

• The rules for using DRS (Overtaking System in Formula 1) have been slightly changed. Yes, in 2024, drivers will be allowed to use DRS on a lap after the following situations: after the start of the race, after a safety car restart and after a red flag. We are talking about a tour before the 2023 season.

• The use of power units has been increased from 3 to 4 per driver in the 2024 season. This rule also applies to 2025.

• Three Grand Prix will be contested on Saturday. We are talking about the first two Grands Prix of the season (Bahrain – March 2 and Saudi Arabia – March 9) and the race in Las Vegas (November 23).

• Ten teams have a cap hit of $135 million for the 2024 season (it was the same last year and will be hit in 2025 as well). Previously, the cap per team was $140 million.

• The 2024 Formula 1 season can be watched live in Romania on Antena 1 and Antena Stars.

What the 2024 Formula 1 season will look like

1) Deputy of Bahrain / March 2 / Sahir

2) Deputy from Saudi Arabia / March 9 / Jeddah

3) Member of Parliament of Australia / March 24 / Albert Park circuit

4) Deputy from Japan / April 7 / Suzuka

5) Deputy from China / April 21 / Shanghai

6) Miami MP / May 5 / Miami International Autodrome

7) Deputy from Emilia-Romagna / May 19 / Imola

8) Deputy from Monaco / May 26 / Monaco

9) Canadian MP / June 9 / Gilles Villeneuve, Monteal

10) Deputy from Spain / June 23 / Barcelona, ​​Montmelo

11) Deputy from Austria / June 30 / Spielberg

12) British MP / July 7 / Silverstone

13) Deputy from Hungary / July 21 / Hungaroring

14) Deputy from Belgium / July 28 / Spa-Francorchamps

15) Deputy from the Netherlands / August 25 / Zandvoort

16) Deputy from Italy / September 1 / Monza

17) Deputy from Azerbaijan / September 15 / Baku

18) MP of Singapore / September 22 / Marina Bay

19) Member of the US Parliament / October 20 / Texas, Austin

20) Deputy from Mexico / October 27 / Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez

21) São Paulo MP / November 3 / Interlagos

22) Las Vegas MP / November 23 / Las Vegas Strip Circuit

23) Deputy of Qatar / December 1 / Lusail

24) Deputy of Abu Dhabi / December 8 / Yas Marina.