So, it begins. Formula 1's 2024 season has now officially kicked off after the opening two free practice sessions in Bahrain, albeit in an atypical Thursday slot, the opening two of races in the Middle East have been shuffled back by a day each to ensure that the F1 rounds do not clash with Ramadan.
Of the three practice sessions held during the Bahrain weekend, only one is of any real benefit; FP1 and FP3 offer little insight in their late-afternoon scheduling, as the circuit sizzles under the beating sun. Since the drivers enjoy cooler climes in qualifying and the race as the sun has long since slipped down the horizon, FP2 is historically the best gauge of what to expect in the crunch sessions later in the weekend.
Both soft-tyre hot laps and longer runs were crammed into the twilight session, offering a slightest glimpse of the relative performance data across the field, although it could be suggested that a few teams are continuing to mask their hands somewhat. With expectations that Red Bull is set for another dominant season reaching a near-unanimous consensus, it seems that the Milton Keynes outfit has been the team most keen to veil its absolute maximum in performance.
Source: Autosport