The first free practice in Bahrain took place without any major incidents. Grosjean, Leclerc and Verstappen did spin but major damage was avoided. During the session the teams had the opportunity to test the prototype Pirelli tires for 2021 for the first time. Now that the first free practice session is over, a cautious sketch can be made of the weekend to come.
Mercedes dominant, battle for third place heating up
While the Mercedes have continued their expected dominance, with Hamilton in first place and Bottas in second place, the excitement is mainly located around P3 and P4. That's where Sergio Perez of Racing Point and Carlos Sainz of McLaren are. Both teams are competing for third place in the constructors' standings, and seem to be in good shape on the Sakhir circuit. If the first session in Bahrain is an sign, we can expect a fierce battle over the course of this weekend.