Fernando Alonso set the tone on the opening day of Bahrain testing, driving the mood of a championship chase with a strong start. In the morning, he finished second, narrowly behind the two Red Bull drivers who used a familiar setup echoing Sergio Pérez and Max Verstappen. The Mexican crossed the line just ahead of Alonso, by a fraction, while the Spaniard nudged ahead of the Dutchman by a couple of hundredths of a second. The evening session, held under lights that mirrored the conditions teams expect in race weekends, saw Alonso again lead the pace in the opening laps, opting for the new soft compound and posting a 1:30.907 on his first lap.
Verstappen responded by choosing soft tires to chase the benchmark but could not beat Alonso. The paddock and fans grew louder with every lap, as the single-day results hinted at a competitive season ahead. Still, there’s a clear caveat: real momentum will hinge on tomorrow’s official qualifying session. For now, Alonso appears equipped to dream about a breakthrough start, though nothing is confirmed ahead of the crucial fourth session at 4:00 PM.
Even though pre-season runs don’t determine the season, the first day showcased a tight top tier. Charles Leclerc sat just two tenths off Alonso’s pace, while Mercedes appeared to trail Ferrari in performance metrics. Leclerc finished fourth, about four tenths back, while his teammate Carlos Sainz ended far down in fourteenth place, a surprising swing for Ferrari’s latest lineup.
The Madrid-born driver mounted an electrifying comeback in the morning, nearly losing control through a tricky stretch at Sakhir’s Turn 9. In the afternoon, he struggled to remain among the leaders and finished more than a second behind the day’s fastest lap.
Meanwhile, Lance Stroll faced early fatigue after 20 laps in Bahrain. The Canadian driver held provisional sixth place and helped validate the strong energy around the AMR23. Yet Stroll admitted conditions weren’t ideal, especially given a wrist surgery in Barcelona last week and FIA clearance to return to the car in Bahrain just yesterday. Aston Martin has backup options from Stoffel Vandoorne and Felipe Drugovich, ready to step in if Stroll cannot contest the season opener on Sunday.
Verstappen Sees Potential in Alonso
There is talk of a summer-like rise in pace for Aston Martin, a nod to the team finishing seventh last season. Still, the paddock remains cautious around Alonso’s AMR23. There is no official pole position confirmation on the horizon yet, and even Max Verstappen, the 2023 world champion who previously shared a Red Bull car with Alonso, noted that the Spaniard’s prospects looked credible before his move to the current squad at Sakhir.
THINGS ARE MOVING FAST.
Fernando Alonso, 1. pic.twitter.com/Pd2Kbimcem
— F1 on social media
“It’s difficult to pin down exactly where they stand, but Fernando’s expressions suggest optimism. He speaks with confidence, and several teams are very close in performance. Seeing Fernando that motivated makes you believe there is a real chance to compete,” commented a veteran team member, reflecting the general sentiment in the paddock about Alonso’s potential this season.