Double Formula One world champion Fernando Alonso tested McLaren’s 2019 car for the first time on Tuesday and declared it a step up on the one he raced last year before leaving the sport.
The 37-year-old Spaniard last drove a Formula One car in November but he was at the Bahrain circuit in a tyre testing role as well as to get a feel for the new car and provide feedback.
“The car is a step forward in every aspect from last year,” he said. “The car has more grip, it’s less draggy on the straights, the engine is a step better, so overall as a package the car is going in the right direction and we’re closer to the front.
“We saw in the first two races that there is still another step to make if you want to compete with the top three teams, but as a first step I think it’s a good baseline and there’s a good programme of development.”
Former champions McLaren scored their first points of the season in Bahrain last Sunday when British rookie Lando Norris finished sixth. The 19-year-old has qualified in the top-10 in both his races so far.
Spaniard Carlos Sainz has suffered two retirements but qualified seventh in Bahrain.
Champions Mercedes have had one-two finishes in both races with Ferrari and Red Bull also on the podium.
Russell back up to speed with Mercedes in testing
Williams driver George Russell swapped the slowest car in Formula One for the championship-leading Mercedes yesterday and enjoyed a day back on top of the timesheets in Bahrain testing.
The 21-year-old Mercedes-backed Briton, last year’s Formula Two title winner, has languished at the rear of the field since he made his F1 debut with struggling former champions Williams in Australia last month.
Russell tested with champions Mercedes last year, setting a track record in Hungary in August, and enjoyed being back up to speed with a best lap of one minute 29.029 seconds at the Sakhir circuit.
His time, in warm and dry conditions after Tuesday’s rain, was the fastest over the two days of testing in Bahrain following Sunday’s grand prix won by Mercedes’ five times champion Lewis Hamilton.
Mexican Sergio Perez was second fastest for Racing Point, also on the softest C5 compound, with Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel third on the harder C3.
Mick Schumacher, the 20-year-old son of seven times world champion Michael, drove for Alfa Romeo after making his Formula One test debut in the Ferrari on Tuesday and ended the day sixth fastest with 70 laps.
Thai driver Alexander Albon completed the most laps, a whopping 143 for Toro Rosso, while British 19-year-old Dan Ticktum did 135 on his test debut for Red Bull.
Canadian Nicholas Latifi, the reserve driver testing the Williams, was slowest in 1:32.198.
Former F1 driver and two-time world champion Fernando Alonso leans on the car in McLaren’s garage at the Sakhir circuit on Tuesday. (AFP)
