Formel 1

While Max Verstappen topping the timesheets on day one of Formula 1 testing will have been a turn off for some, few definitive conclusions can be drawn from ...

But that is not a conclusion that can be drawn solely and securely from events at the Sakhir circuit on Thursday. Red Bull has once again built the fastest ground-effects car and the double world champion has lost nothing of his edge. [ topping the first day of 2023 testing in Bahrain](https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/2023-f1-bahrain-test-verstappen-shades-alonso-to-top-opening-day-of-testing/10435581/) is the headline that Formula 1 probably didn’t want the media to be writing.

Keep up to date with all the action - both on track and off it - as the F1 teams work on preparations for the 2023 season. Live coverage of Day 1 in Bahrain ...

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There are ten teams competing in Formula 1 this year and ten eras of Taylor Swift. What else did you think inspired this?

[Taylor Swift of course](https://www.avclub.com/taylor-swift-underrated-songs-obscure-tracks-1849666689). [the teams that are racing this year](https://jalopnik.com/all-of-formula-1s-2023-liveries-ranked-1850134175). [the never-ending hype](https://jalopnik.com/formula-1-might-be-bigger-than-ever-1848805551) the sport is receiving, welcome to the club!

Defending champion Max Verstappen topped the timesheet as pre-season testing for the 2023 FIA Formula One World Championship got underway in Bahrain.

Alex Albon took seventh for Williams thanks to a best lap of 1:33.671 set in the morning, while his new team-mate Logan Sargeant finished 10th. In the morning, Felipe Drogovich, standing in for Lance Stroll, brought out the only red flag of the day when he suffered a sensor issue. New team-mate and 2023 debutant Oscar Piastri finished 18th on his first pre-season test day with the team, two seconds adrift of Verstappen. Zhou Guanyu ended the day in eighth place for Alfa Romeo. Verstappen’s best time of the day came midway through the afternoon session when he stopped at the clock at 1:32.837. Alonso also suffered a setback in the afternoon when he shipped floor damage that restricted him to the garage for a spell. Third place on the timesheet went to Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz as the Scuderia enjoyed a strong first day. Verstappen set good pace across a marathon day at the wheel of his new RB19. Defending champion Max Verstappen topped the timesheet as pre-season testing for the 2023 FIA Formula One World Championship got underway in Bahrain. The British squad had a tough opening outing, however, with Norris losing time due an issue with a wheel fairing. The Dutchman was the only driver to run for the full day and by the time the chequered flag flew under lights in the early evening the champion had posted a total of 157 laps of the Sakhir Circuit, almost 850km. Third place went to Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz.