presented by
2027 2026 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1988 1987 1986 1985 1984 1983 1982 1981 1980 1979 1978 1977 1976 1975 1974 1973 1972 1971 1970 1969 1968 1967 1966 1965 1964 1963 1962 1961 1960 1959 1958 1957 1956 1955 1954 1953 1952 1951 1950 1949 1948 1947 1939 1938 1937 1936 1935 1934 1933 1931 1930 1929 1927 1925 1923 1922 1921 1914 1913 1912
Bahrain GP
Bahrain GP
Saudi Arabian GP Australian GP Azerbaijan GP Miami GP Emilia Romagna GP Monaco GP Spanish GP Canadian GP Austrian GP British GP Hungarian GP Belgian GP Dutch GP Italian GP Singapore GP Japanese GP Qatar GP United States GP Mexico City GP Brazilian GP Las Vegas GP Abu Dhabi GP
2023 Formula 1 Bahrain GP
Mar 2, 2023 to Mar 5, 2023
| Bahrain International Circuit, BH
Overview Live Commentary Results News Videos
Live text
Formula 1 Bahrain GP
F1 Bahrain GP Live Commentary and Updates - FP1 & FP2
Friday's action from the 2023 Formula 1 season opener
Live
Chat
Live Standings
presented by
Stopped
Summary
View more Show Less
Live Text
Sort by Oldest first Newest first
10:50:06 am
Copy link
Share on Viber
Bah, rain? No chance - the radar shows a 0% chance of rain coming to play in this session. So that's quite nice.
10:46:16 am
Copy link
Share on Viber
In thoroughly unrepresentative conditions this morning, not everybody had a run on the soft tyres in FP1 - so the true pecking order in 2023 remains unknown. This FP2 session should provide a clearer picture.
10:43:49 am
Copy link
Share on Viber
We're back! It's nearly 6pm in Bahrain, it's getting dark, and the circuit is beginning to cool down. FP2 will be with you in just over 15 minutes' time.
Photo
08:48:14 am
Copy link
Share on Viber
With that, it is time for a quick breather and a spot of lunch, but it probably won't be anything as good as this looked from in the paddock last Wednesday. We'll be back ahead of second practice which starts at 3pm GMT.
Atmosphere
Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
Breaking news
08:43:47 am
Copy link
Share on Viber
Need a recap on everything that happened in first practice? Look no further: https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/f1-bahrain-gp-perez-kicks-off-2023-to-head-fp1-over-alonso/10438880/
08:38:20 am
Copy link
Share on Viber
08:36:02 am
Copy link
Share on Viber
So, Perez on top from Alonso with Verstappen third, while there was no representative comparison from Ferrari and Mercedes who didn't run on the softs tyres.
08:34:53 am
Copy link
Share on Viber
Albon gets a little too close for comfort with Piastri as the session comes to a close, showing his car's nose to the inside of the corner with the Australian on the racing line. Thankfully, no harm done and it is time for the practice starts.
08:32:51 am
Copy link
Share on Viber
Stroll sneaks in another push lap on the softs but fails to improve, going just over one-tenth slower, which keeps him sixth. But with 16 laps to his name, the main focus will be on how his wrists feel given the grand prix is 57 laps of the Bahrain circuit.
Checkered flag
08:30:48 am
Copy link
Share on Viber
Into the embers of first practice and top spot looks assured to be Perez's, just as it was on the final day of pre-season testing.
Yellow flag
08:29:18 am
Copy link
Share on Viber
A very brief yellow flag flashes up in the first sector but without a clear indication for what caused it. So let's assume someone ran on at Turn 1 a la Norris from earlier.
Stopwatch
08:25:40 am
Copy link
Share on Viber
Stroll, on his first effort on the softs, goes sixth with a 1m34.298s which is over a second off his team-mate Alonso.
08:24:47 am
Copy link
Share on Viber
Both Mercs have improved again but are sticking to the mediums, meaning Hamilton and Russell are at the lower end of the top 10.
Stopwatch
08:21:08 am
Copy link
Share on Viber
Alonso splits the Red Bulls to go second with a 1m33.196s on the softs which gets a nod of admiration from Aston Martin Group CEO Martin Whitmarsh.
Stopwatch
08:17:42 am
Copy link
Share on Viber
Leclerc, on mediums, goes fourth with a 1m34.257s - 1.4s off Perez's leading effort set on softs.
08:16:44 am
Copy link
Share on Viber
Still no soft tyre running from Ferrari, Mercedes, Aston Martin or Alpine, which probably explains how the Red Bulls are over a second clear at the top of the times.
Alex Kalinauckas
08:14:33 am
Copy link
Share on Viber
More trackside insight: For all that has been suggested about Aston having a good car balance in testing, Alonso was one of the worst for rear stability on the exit of Turn 4 during that long run. That said, it’s very hot right now so the tyres will be struggling as he gets on the gas. It should be better under lights later, but worth keeping an eye on.
08:12:35 am
Copy link
Share on Viber
Sainz has flat spotted those tyres so duly pits. During testing Piastri had a similar moment on that bump before Turn 9, so it is one to be wary of for the rest of the weekend.
Off track
08:11:33 am
Copy link
Share on Viber
Sainz spins! The Ferrari driver completes a 360 after going over the bump in the braking zone for Turn 9. It was a fast off and he does well to avoid the wall.
Quote
08:09:15 am
Copy link
Share on Viber
"Just let me drive the car," Stroll says over team radio while being given some feedback.
Yellow flag
08:08:37 am
Copy link
Share on Viber
Norris brings out a yellow flag as he goes off at Turn 1. The McLaren driver appears to misjudge his braking at the end of the main straight and takes to the run-off. No harm done.
Stopwatch
08:07:07 am
Copy link
Share on Viber
Stroll has a lap time on the board! The Canadian driver puts in a 1m37.519s which keeps him 20th, 4.7s off Perez's leading effort.
08:06:03 am
Copy link
Share on Viber
Lots of rear wing focus in FP1, as Ferrari adjusts Leclerc's following his earlier wobbly moment, meanwhile Williams is also paying close attention to Albon's rear wing.
08:03:29 am
Copy link
Share on Viber
Stroll is back out on the track as Aston has fixed the ignition problem.
08:02:40 am
Copy link
Share on Viber
Alonso drifts wide at Turn 4 which is pinged as an off-track excursion by race control. We saw plenty of that during testing but given it wasn't a competitive session it didn't really matter. Not the case this weekend.
Stopwatch
08:00:43 am
Copy link
Share on Viber
Perez delivers with a 1m32.758s which keeps him top as Verstappen only manages a 1m33.375s.
07:59:19 am
Copy link
Share on Viber
The Red Bulls have also switched to the soft tyres now, so fast lap times incoming.
Mechanical problem
07:57:56 am
Copy link
Share on Viber
Stroll's issue is an ignition problem. We'd say that is fairly fundamental when trying to complete laps in an F1 car.
Stopwatch
07:55:53 am
Copy link
Share on Viber
Hamilton improves but stays third with a 1m35.014s on the medium tyres.
07:54:49 am
Copy link
Share on Viber
It turns out the Stroll hold-up is due to the car rather than the driver. There's a lot of work going on to the right-rear section of the engine.
07:53:27 am
Copy link
Share on Viber
Still only two laps for Stroll, the fewest from any driver by far, but probably best to take it easy getting back in the groove after his injury. Meanwhile Drugovich and Vandoorne watch on from the back of the garage.
07:50:59 am
Copy link
Share on Viber
TV replays catch a wobbly rear wing on Leclerc's Ferrari, with a splash of flow-vis paint, which doesn't look like it is behaving as it should. New team boss Fred Vasseur looks on nonplussed, but in fairness that is his usual disposition.
Stopwatch
07:48:49 am
Copy link
Share on Viber
Soft tyre alert! The Haas pair have switched to the soft rubber early, as Magnussen goes third with a 1m35.420s and Hulkenberg goes seventh with a 1m35.865s. This Hulkenberg newcomer, we wonder how he'll get on...
Stopwatch
07:44:40 am
Copy link
Share on Viber
Perez has moved to the top of the times with a 1m34.343s on the mediums - putting him half a second clear of Alonso.
Quote
07:44:00 am
Copy link
Share on Viber
"I can smell something burning," Sargeant reports over Williams radio. He's been able to continue without much fuss, so all is well thus far.
Alex Kalinauckas
07:43:02 am
Copy link
Share on Viber
The latest from trackside: Expect Stroll to concentrate on high-fuel running, therefore not targeting any headline times, as Aston assess his injury and make up for missing test mileage.
07:41:08 am
Copy link
Share on Viber
Piastri catches a snap in his McLaren and goes off track, meaning he backs out of the lap, but next time around posts a 1m36.274s to go fifth.
07:40:07 am
Copy link
Share on Viber
Stroll completes an in- and out-lap and pits from his first run, so doesn't provide a lap time for us to scrutinise to the nth degree.
Stopwatch
07:38:53 am
Copy link
Share on Viber
Verstappen slots into third with a 1m35.429s with his first timed lap, three-tenths behind Alonso and Perez. Elsewhere, Hamilton heads on to the track.
07:36:58 am
Copy link
Share on Viber
Stroll and Verstappen nip out leaving just the Mercs yet to make an appearance in this session. All eyes will be on Stroll and how he manages with his poorly wrists.
Pagination
1
2
3
By: Autosport Staff
Published: Mar 3, 2023, 2:50 PM
Lap:
Copy link
Share on Viber