Bahrain Test: Day 1 Recap

The first of two days of testing at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir began Tuesday with Romain Grosjean representing Haas F1 Team. All 10 teams competing in the 2017 FIA Formula One World Championship were present.

Grosjean logged 87 laps around the 5.412-kilometer (3.363-mile), 15-turn track with his quickest time coming on his 71st tour – a 1:32.452 set on Pirelli P Zero Red supersoft tires that placed him fourth among the 12 drivers who participated.

Grosjean began the morning session with stock reconnaissance runs, heading out first on the White medium tire for an installation lap before switching to Yellow softs for five timed runs totaling 39 laps. Prior to stopping for a lunch break shortly after 1 p.m. local time, Grosjean’s best mark was a 1:33.848 earned on his 19th lap.

Grosjean ran 48 laps in the afternoon session with a program consisting of four timed stints that recycled the morning’s soft compound tires before switching to the faster, grippier Red supersoft tires. With supersofts bolted onto the Haas VF-17, Grosjean closed out the day. He ran three stints with a new set of supersofts each time before culminating with a final, seven-lap outing on a used set of supersofts.

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton set the quickest time (1:31.358) with Sauber’s Marcus Ericsson recording the most laps (106).

​“It was a pretty good day. We went through most of the stuff we wanted to, so that’s pretty good, very positive. We completed most of our program, which is great. There’s a lot of data now to look back through at the factory. That’ll help us know what we want to do in the future. It’s testing, we’re not looking for performance, but I’m happy with the day.”

Teammate Kevin Magnussen settles into the Haas VF-17 Wednesday for the final day of testing in Bahrain. 

Haas F1 Team debuted in the FIA Formula One World Championship in 2016, becoming the first American Formula One team since 1986. Founded by industrialist Gene Haas, Haas F1 Team is based in the United States on the same Kannapolis, North Carolina, campus as his championship-winning NASCAR team, Stewart-Haas Racing. Haas is the founder of Haas Automation, the largest CNC machine tool builder in North America, and he is chairman of Haas F1 Team.