Russell Leads Mercedes 1-2 in Bahrain Practice as Red Bull Struggles

George Russell set the pace in first practice for the Bahrain Grand Prix, leading a Mercedes one-two ahead of teammate Lewis Hamilton in a strong opening session for the Silver Arrows. Russell’s benchmark time put Mercedes firmly at the top of the timesheets, while Hamilton followed closely in second, underlining the team’s early speed at the Sakhir circuit.

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc finished third, with McLaren’s Lando Norris close behind in fourth, keeping the front of the field tightly packed as teams began fine-tuning their setups for the weekend. The session also offered an early warning sign for Red Bull, as Max Verstappen could manage only 13th after the team made a floor change to his car.

Red Bull’s difficulties came amid continued scrutiny of recent upgrades, with the reigning champion’s pace notably off the leading group. While practice times do not always reflect full race potential, the opening session suggested Mercedes may have arrived in Bahrain with encouraging form, while Red Bull still has work to do to unlock performance. With more practice and qualifying ahead, the competitive picture remains fluid, but the first session delivered a clear statement from Mercedes and an unexpected setback for Red Bull.