Motor racing-Verstappen sets ominous pace as F1 starts testing in Bahrain

Formula One F1 - Pre-Season Testing - Bahrain International Circuit, Sakhir, Bahrain - February 21, 2024 Red Bull's Max Verstappen during the pre-season testing REUTERS/Hamad I Mohammed

(Reuters) -Triple Formula One world champion Max Verstappen set an ominous pace as Red Bull, dominant last year, picked up where they left off on the first day of pre-season testing in Bahrain on Wednesday.

Even if the timesheets could be easily dismissed, with teams running different programmes, there was no denying that the new Red Bull already looked a step up from last year's RB19.