F1 preseason testing: Live results, schedule, fastest lap times as Verstappen quickest on day one
In a largely uneventful first day of pre-season testing for the new 2023 F1 season, it was Max Verstappen and Red Bull who set the fastest time at the Bahrain International Circuit.
The Dutchman – who has won the World Drivers’ Championship in each of the last two years – cemented his position as a driver to beat this season with an unbeaten lap time of 1’32’837, although not too much can be said given the ongoing aerodynamic tests of the teams today are read into the final order.
On the opening day, Verstappen was very closely followed by Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso, who enjoyed a very successful first day at the track with his new team, while Ferrari duo Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc finished P3 and P4 respectively.
All drivers took part in day one of pre-season testing, with the exception of Red Bull’s Sergio Perez and Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll, who was replaced by rookie Felipe Drugovich through injury.
For all lap times from the opening day of pre-season testing in Bahrain, The sports news got you covered.
MORE: F1 season 2023: Predictions, odds, betting tips and best bets for the new Formula 1 campaign
Who was fastest on day one of F1 pre-season testing?
session one
| driver | team | time (gap to lead) | Round |
| Max Verstappen | red bull | 1:32,959 | 71 |
| Carlo Sainz | Ferrari | 1:33.253 (+0.294) | 72 |
| Alex Albon | Williams | 1:33.671 (+0.712) | 74 |
| Zhou Guanyu | Alfa Romeo | 1:33.723 (+0.764) | 67 |
| George Russell | Mercedes | 1:34,174 (+1,215) | 69 |
| Nico Hulkenburg | haas | 1:34,424 (+1,465) | 51 |
| Felipe Drugovich | Aston-Martin | 1:34,564 (+1,605) | 40 |
| Yuki Tsunoda | AlphaTauri | 1:34,671 (+1,712) | 46 |
| Pierre Gasli | alpine | 1:34,822 (+1,863) | 60 |
| Oskar Piastri | McLaren | 1:34,888 (+1,929) | 52 |
While the first pre-season testing session of the year proved uneventful, there was an early setback for Aston Martin, which is primed to challenge for P4 in the constructors’ standings in 2023.
With just five minutes on the clock, Felipe Drugovich – who is testing for the British team this week after contract driver Lance Stroll was injured in a cycling accident – forced his car to the side of the track with a malfunction. That brought the red flag but the car was quickly cleared by the marshals and the Brazilian rookie rejoined the track shortly afterwards.
The first session was also the first time we saw the new F1 cars on track together, revealing some big differences in the way the teams have designed their 2023 rivals, as below with Ferrari and Mercedes you can see.
session two
The times below represent each driver’s fastest laps in both pre-season test sessions on Thursday 23rd February.
| driver | team | time (gap to lead) | Round |
| Max Verstappen | red bull | 1:32.837 | 157 |
| Fernando Alonso | Aston-Martin | 1:32.886 (+0.029) | 60 |
| Carlo Sainz | Ferrari | 1:33.253 (+0.416) | 72 |
| Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1:33.267 (+0.430) | 64 |
| Lando Norris | McLaren | 1:33.462 (+0.625) | 40 |
| Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 1:33.508 (+0.671) | 83 |
| Alex Albon | Williams | 1:33.671 (+0.834) | 74 |
| Zhou Guanyu | Alfa Romeo | 1:33.723 (+0.886) | 67 |
| George Russell | Mercedes | 1:34,174 (+1,337) | 69 |
| Logan Sargeant | Williams | 1:34,324 (+1,487) | 75 |
| Nico Hulkenburg | haas | 1:34,424 (+1,587) | 51 |
| Valtteri Bottas | Alfa Romeo | 1:34,558 (+1,721) | 71 |
| Nyck de Vries | AlphaTauri | 1:34,559 (+1,722) | 85 |
| Felipe Drugovich | Aston-Martin | 1:34,564 (+1,727) | 40 |
| Yuki Tsunoda | AlphaTauri | 1:34,671 (+1,834) | 46 |
| Pierre Gasli | alpine | 1:34,822 (+1,985) | 60 |
| Esteban Ocon | alpine | 1:34,871 (+2,034) | 53 |
| Oskar Piastri | McLaren | 1:34,888 (+2,051) | 52 |
| Kevin Magussen | haas | 1:35,087 (+2,250) | 57 |
Veteran Fernando Alonso stole the show during the second session of pre-season testing on day one.
The new Aston Martin driver finished just 0.28s off the lead on opening day while also setting the fastest split time of any driver in the third sector of the Bahrain International Circuit.
What is the schedule for pre-season testing in Formula 1?
Here are all the scheduled session times for F1 pre-season testing in 2023, which runs from Thursday to Saturday.
Thursday 23 February
| United Kingdom | USA | Canada | Australia | |
| session one | 06:50 – 11:00 GMT | 1:50am – 6:00am ET | 1:50am – 6:00am ET | 7:50pm – 12:00am AEDT |
| session two | 11:50 – 16:30 GMT | 6:50am – 11:30am ET | 6:50am – 11:30am ET | Friday 00:50 – 05:30 AEDT |
Friday February 24th
| United Kingdom | USA | Canada | Australia | |
| session one | 06:50 – 11:00 GMT | 1:50am – 6:00am ET | 1:50am – 6:00am ET | 7:50pm – 12:00am AEDT |
| session two | 11:50 – 16:30 GMT | 6:50am – 11:30am ET | 6:50am – 11:30am ET | Saturday 00:50 – 05:30 AEDT |
Saturday February 25th
| United Kingdom | USA | Canada | Australia | |
| session one | 06:50 – 11:00 GMT | 6:50am – 11:30am ET | 6:50am – 11:30am ET | 7:50pm – 12:00am AEDT |
| session two | 11:50 – 16:30 GMT | 6:50am – 11:30am ET | 6:50am – 11:30am ET | Sunday 00:50 – 05:30 AEDT |