Defending back to back world champion Fernando Alonso will on Friday sample his definitive Melbourne-spec McLaren in Bahrain.
The Spaniard touched down in the Arabian Gulf on Thursday as the first day of testing on Thursday saw Ferrari dominate the time sheets. Ferrari’s definitive package will hit the circuit next week.
Also quick in the presence of team boss Nick Fry was Honda, while BMW-Sauber runners unusually failed to show great pace, as did Renault, but the Sakhir circuit was particularly tricky on day one as the field of sixteen cleared a thin layer of desert sand.
Indeed, in the maximum temperatures of 23 (C), several drivers spun, including BMW’s Sebastian Vettel.
Even more encountered technical trouble, including runners for Toyota, Honda, McLaren, Red Bull, Toro Rosso and Nick Heidfeld, who pulled over on the circuit and personally checked out a leak at the rear of his BMW F1.07.
GMMF1
DailyF1News.com
