Norris fastest after power cut halts F1 testing

Title favourite Lando Norris was fastest for Formula One champions McLaren after a power cut disrupted the first day of pre-season testing in Bahrain on Wednesday.

The track action was extended by an hour into the evening to compensate after a power cut plunged garages into darkness and brought out red flags.

Sakhir circuit authorities said the outage was caused by an external substation failure.

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc had been top at the time, with Mercedes' Italian rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli setting the morning pace.

Engineers used torches in the garages as mechanics connected back-up generators.

"I came to the pits and said 'it's dark out here. I need to change my visor'. Then I realised there are no floodlights around," Mercedes' George Russell told Sky Sports television.

"It would have been hectic if this was an hour later and the sun had already set."

Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton had already done 70 laps, more than a full race distance,as he started official testing for Ferrari after his move from Mercedes at the end of last year.

The 40-year-old Briton, chasing a record eighth title in 2025, was fifth fastest in the morning with a time of one minute 31.834 seconds.

IMPRESSIVE ANTONELLI

Leclerc then took over the car after lunch and set a 1:30.878 best but ultimately ended up fourth with Norris' best effort a 1:30.430.

Hamilton's replacement Antonelli, 18, was the first on track and led after the opening four-hour stint with a quickest lap of 1:31.428 on medium tyres and 78 laps under his belt without incident.

He handed over to Russell, who was second fastest with 69 laps and ahead of Red Bull's quadruple champion Max Verstappen (74 laps).

New Zealander Liam Lawson, Verstappen's new teammate, spun the new RB21 in the morning but was second fastest (58 laps) in that session with Williams' Alex Albon third (63laps).

Albon's new teammate Carlos Sainz, who has joined from Ferrari, was fifth fastest and did 68 laps.

Racing Bulls' Yuki Tsunoda, fourth on the timesheets, matched Antonelli's 78 lap tally, with British rookie Oliver Bearman completing 72 for Haas.

Esteban Ocon, now at Haas, did most laps of all – an impressive 88.

Australian rookie Jack Doohan was testing for Alpine, and ended the session sixth with 68 laps and compatriot Oscar Piastri was eighth for champions McLaren and did 66.

Teams have three days of testing in Bahrain before the 24-race season starts in Australia on March 16.