Russell Outpaces Hamilton in Morning Practice Session
George Russell demonstrated impressive speed during the final morning session of the 2023 Bahrain pre-season test, outpacing teammate Lewis Hamilton. Russell clocked a best time of 1:33.918 on soft tires, marking the fastest lap of the week.
Morning Session Highlights
About 30 minutes into the session, Russell set the benchmark with his initial lap time. He then improved this time to secure the top spot. Hamilton followed closely behind, achieving a time of 1:34.209.
Top Performers
- George Russell (Mercedes): 1:33.918 – 78 laps
- Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari): 1:34.209 – 69 laps
- Max Verstappen (Red Bull): 1:35.341 – 61 laps
- Oliver Bearman (Haas): 1:35.972 – 70 laps
- Oscar Piastri (McLaren): 1:36.390 – 73 laps
Max Verstappen secured third place with a time of 1:35.341 for Red Bull. He was trailed by Haas driver Oliver Bearman and McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, who also put in solid performances.
Notable Issues
Cadillac faced challenges during the session, with Valtteri Bottas managing only eight laps before encountering issues. He eventually completed 37 laps, but remained at the bottom of the timesheet.
Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll finished just behind Audi’s Gabriel Bortoleto, who utilized hard tires for most of the session. Stroll expressed concerns about his car’s performance, noting a lack of speed.
Final Rankings
| Position | Driver | Team | Best Lap | Gap | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | George Russell | Mercedes | 1:33.918 | – | 78 |
| 2 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | 1:34.209 | +0.291 | 69 |
| 3 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | 1:35.341 | +1.423 | 61 |
| 4 | Oliver Bearman | Haas | 1:35.972 | +2.054 | 70 |
| 5 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | 1:36.390 | +2.472 | 73 |
| 6 | Franco Colapinto | Alpine | 1:36.874 | +2.956 | 64 |
| 7 | Carlos Sainz | Williams | 1:37.186 | +3.268 | 68 |
| 8 | Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls | 1:37.238 | +3.320 | 84 |
| 9 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Audi | 1:38.251 | +4.333 | 60 |
| 10 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | 1:38.423 | +4.505 | 54 |
| 11 | Valtteri Bottas | Cadillac | 1:38.772 | +4.854 | 37 |
The session underlined Russell’s strong form as teams prepare for the upcoming season. The Bahrain test continues to reveal insights into performance ahead of the first race.
