Max Verstappen threw down an immediate marker by topping the timesheets in the first practice session at Sepang, kicking off what he described as a "positive" opening day of track action at the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia.
After narrowly missing out on his first victory of the season last weekend in Azerbaijan, the Dutchman looked quick straight out of the box. He finished fourth in the second practice hour, though that lower position came with a massive caveat: he never actually bolted on a set of soft tyres during the session.
The car evolved a lot. We don't know how the car will behave around this condition – it's a surprise. I hope it will give us a little bit some gamble in terms of strategy and how to play with.
Instead, Verstappen spent FP2 focusing on the medium compound, dealing with sweltering track temperatures and severe tyre degradation. "I think we had a decent start, but it's tricky," Verstappen explained after jumping out of the car. "The track is really hot, a lot of degradation, so a lot of things to figure out but it's been positive." When asked about the day's progression, the 29-year-old noted that changing temperatures and differing run programmes made direct comparisons tough, leaving plenty of data to pore over.
Red Bull's Technical Director Pierre Wache filled in the blanks regarding their unusual tyre strategy in the afternoon. Facing a looming weather threat and a lack of prior information on the medium compound, the team prioritized long-run data over a late qualifying simulation. "I think we had a little bit of an issue with the car and the rain coming," Wache said. "The forecast said the rain will come, then we didn't want to compromise the long run that I think is the most important thing for this weekend... and after it was too late to run the soft."
Despite entering the weekend with low expectations, the squad came away pleasantly surprised. Wache admitted they were primarily focused on evaluating the upgrade package brought to Baku on a completely different circuit layout, and early signs indicate the new parts are working better than their predecessors. Even so, relative performance remains murky, with Wache pointing out that both Mercedes and McLaren also boast strong long-run pace.
With rain threatening every single session ahead, the unknown wet-weather behaviour of their heavily evolved car could throw a wild card into the mix. Wache is welcoming the unpredictable skies, hoping it creates a strategic gamble. "We've never run in the rain properly," Wache noted, pointing back to their limited wet running during the Barcelona shakedown. "The car evolved a lot. We don't know how the car will behave around this condition – it's a surprise. I hope it will give us a little bit some gamble in terms of strategy and how to play with."
