EL1 in Sakhir: Ricciardo best time, electrical problem for Verstappen

Red Bull experienced mixed fortunes during the first free practices of the Bahrain Grand Prix, second round of the 1 Formula 2018 world championship. If Daniel Ricciardo set the best time in 1'31'060 with the soft compound, his teammate Max Verstappen suffered an electrical problem on his second lap on the track.

Published on 06/04/2018 à 14:43

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EL1 in Sakhir: Ricciardo best time, electrical problem for Verstappen

The Dutchman managed to return to the pits at a very slow pace even if he had to cover the last meters on foot while helping the track marshals to push his RB 14 engine Renault. He was then forced to watch the rest of the session from the garage.

Ricciardo also stayed in the garage for a long time before appearing at the top of the timesheet at the end of the session. The Australian is ahead of the first Mercedes de Valtteri Bottas by three tenths. The two follow Ferrari by Kimi Räikkönen and Sebastian Vettel, in this order. Lewis Hamilton emerges in fifth place ahead of a solid Romain Grosjean. The Frenchman, however, signed his best mark in super-soft tires.

Pierre Gasly finished in a promising seventh place for Toro Rosso-Honda while Renault places its two cars in the Top 10 with Carlos Sainz et Nico Hulkenberg eighth and 10th respectively. Between the RS18s slips Kevin Magnussen and the second Haas VF-18.

Note the fine performance of Charles Leclerc on a circuit he already knows. The Sauber driver climbs to 12th and separates the two McLaren de Fernando Alonso and Stoffel Vandoorne.

Yet equipped with a new front wing, the Force India of Sergio Perez finished in a very modest 18th place, one position and a tenth ahead of his teammate Esteban Ocon.

Contested at the start of the afternoon in the Sakhir desert, the first free practice session is undoubtedly one of the least representative sessions of the weekend since qualifying and the race take place after dark, all like EL2 which will start this Friday at 18:00 p.m. local time (17:00 p.m. French time).