Verstappen completes practice sweep in Bahrain GP

Published March 28, 2021
ALPHATAURI’S Pierre Gasly in action during qualifying of the Bahrain F1 Grand Prix at Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir on Saturday.—Reuters
ALPHATAURI’S Pierre Gasly in action during qualifying of the Bahrain F1 Grand Prix at Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir on Saturday.—Reuters

MANAMA: Red Bull’s Max Verstappen completed a clean sweep of practice to set himself up as favourite for pole position at the season-opening Bahrain Formula One Grand Prix on Saturday.

The Dutch 23-year-old, who was fastest in pre-season testing, lapped the Sakhir circuit with a best lap of one minute 30.577 seconds after going quickest in both of Friday’s sessions.

Mercedes’ seven times world champion Lewis Hamilton was second-quickest, but a hefty 0.739 second slower, with AlphaTauri’s French driver Pierre Gasly third and more than a second off the pace in nearly 50 degree temperatures.

“To be seven-10ths up on Lewis... I’m really looking forward to see if he can carry that on to qualifying,” said 2009 champion Jenson Button, now a pundit for Sky Sports television.

“Mercedes will be quicker in qualifying, when the conditions will be cooler, but Max is on it every time.” Valtteri Bottas was fourth in the other Mercedes, and Verstappen’s new team mate Sergio Perez was fifth but 1.331 slower than the Dutchman.

German rookie Mick Schumacher, son of Ferrari great and seven times champion Michael, was again quicker than his Haas team mate Nikita Mazepin.

Published in Dawn, March 28th, 2021

Opinion

Editorial

IHK resolution
Updated 08 Nov, 2024

IHK resolution

If the BJP administration were to listen to Kashmiris, it could pave the way for the resumption of the political process in IHK.
Climate realities
08 Nov, 2024

Climate realities

THE Air Quality Index in Lahore once again shot past the 1,000-level mark on Wednesday morning, registering at an...
Rule by fear
08 Nov, 2024

Rule by fear

THE abduction of an opposition MNA, as claimed by PTI, is yet another grim episode in Pakistan’s ongoing crisis of...
Trump 2.0
Updated 07 Nov, 2024

Trump 2.0

It remains to be seen how his promises to bring ‘peace’ to Middle East reconcile with his blatantly pro-Israel bias.
Fait accompli
07 Nov, 2024

Fait accompli

A SLEW of secretively conceived and hastily enacted legislation has achieved its intended result: the powers of the...
IPP contracts
07 Nov, 2024

IPP contracts

THE government expects the ongoing ‘negotiations’ with power producers aimed at revising the terms of sovereign...