Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant Formula One™ Team's season truly begin this weekend in the 2022 Bahrain Grand Prix.
Keep up with the latest updates from the Bahrain International Circuit as Lance Stroll and Nico Hülkenberg prepare for the season-opening race. Refresh your page to get the latest updates...
18:08 - That's all from Bahrain today, thanks for joining us.
18:05 - Lance finishes the session in 16th with a best time of 1.33.958 after completing 25 laps.
Nico was directly behind in 17th. His fastest lap was completed in 1.34.061 after a total of 28 laps.
18:00 - And the session comes to an end.
17:52 - Just 10 minutes to go and Lance and Nico have both completed 20-plus laps each.
17:33 - Nico has switched back to Mediums, donning a used set to take on his next stint.
17:30 - We're halfway through FP2.
17:23 - Lance has shot up to sixth with a best time of 1.33.958 as Nico surges to eighth after lapping in 1.34.061. Both have ended their Soft tyre running.
17:20 - Lance and Nico are now heading out on Soft tyres.
17:15 - Every lap matters more than ever during this period of unprecedented technical change. Get up to speed with the key areas of F1's 2022 cars in our six-part series.
17:11 - Lance joins Nico in the pits after six laps on track.
17:10 - Nico completes a five-lap run, while Lance continues.
17:05 - Lance and Nico are both on track, using the Medium tyre. The Medium compound is a favoured choice by teams, it's a good mid-range tyre to set your baseline around.
17:00 - We're away under the floodlights in Bahrain.
16:50 - We're just 10 minutes from the start of the all-important FP2. This session is crucial because it's the only session completed in relevant conditions compared to the Grand Prix. Teams will be looking to find a good baseline to build on.
16:10 - We'll be live again just before FP2 starts.
16:05 - Lance finishes the session in sixth after completing 22 laps with a best time of 1.34.814.
Nico was 14th after lapping in 1.35.815, and completed 23 laps.
16:00 - The session comes to a close.
15:50 - There's just 10 minutes remaining in FP1.
15:48 - Lance's turn to fire in a quicker lap. A 1.34.814 puts him sixth.
15:45 - Nico's now back on track, using the Soft tyre. That's helped him set a new best time of 1.35.815, which puts him eighth for now. Lance is heading out on the same compound.
15:40 - With both drivers in the garage, how about catching up with Driver Ambassador Jessica Hawkins?
She's your guide as we discover the Miami Grand Prix and the local culture. Watch the video now.
15:35 - Ready for the race weekend? Shop the look now.
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15:31 - It's also 10 laps for Lance, 20 for the team in total. The Canadian's driving the only AMR22 on track as Nico pits.
15:30 - Nico's passed 10 laps in the session. Every lap counts on what will be an important day for him. The more comfortable he feels in the AMR22, the more he can focus on extracting the maximum in qualifying and the race.
15:26 - Lance has set his best time of the session so far, 1.37.402, which puts him in a provisional 10th place.
15:25 - Wondering why the Hard tyre is popular here? It's because Bahrain is one of the most abrasive tracks on the calendar.
To understand the factors that could influence the Grand Prix, read our in-depth preview, presented by Cognizant.
15:22 - Now that we're back underway, Lance and Nico are on track on used Hard tyres.
15:18 - The session will resume in two minutes.
15:15 - While we're under a red flag, why not explore I / AM?
I / AM is our official, free-to-join membership programme - but it's also so much more. This is a platform for fans to share their voice. Join us to discover I / AM benefits and once-in-a-lifetime experiences as We Climb Together.
Find out more here.
15:10 - Both Lance and Nico are now back in the pitlane, having completed three and four laps respectively.
15:07 - Early lock-up for Nico there. It's not at all surprising, and was a common feature across all drivers and teams during pre-season testing as they tried to find the limits of grip in the new generation of cars.
We also have a red flag due to the debris.
15:06 - We've got a yellow flag in the first sector as some debris from an Alpine has fallen to the edge of the main straight.
15:05 - Nico's set his first flying laps, doing so on the Hard tyre. He's continuing to improve, and most recently set a 1.39.950.
15:03 - Lance joins Nico on track for the first time.
15:01 - Nico heads straight out. The more laps the merrier for the German in this session.
15:00 - The first practice of the new season is underway. It's a little windy out there, which can make sections like Turn One all the more challenging. Otherwise, it's clear skies and dry running, as you'd expect on an afternoon in Bahrain.
14:55 - The finishing touches.
2⃣7⃣ 💚#NH27 #Hulkenback pic.twitter.com/UTvsfinTTn
— Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant F1 Team (@AstonMartinF1) March 18, 2022
14:50 - While the first practice in Bahrain isn't particularly representative of the conditions drivers will face in the Grand Prix, it's still a useful session.
For Nico, it's a chance to get familiar with the AMR22 for the first time and go through the paces of re-adapting to Grand Prix driving.
It's also useful for the team as all running is valuable at this early stage of the regulations, and such data is useful for racing beyond this weekend in Bahrain.
14:45 - While we're on the subject of testing: with the help of Aramco, we've reviewed every aspect of testing with Performance Director Tom McCullough.
From the challenge of resolving 'porpoising' to the drivers having to adapt their driving style, this is your in-depth review of our pre-season campaign.
14:40 - There's 20 minutes to go until practice begins in Bahrain, that's the perfect window to watch the latest episode of #IAMSTORIES | INSIDER.
Final preparations in Bahrain with Mike Krack
The 2022 season is just around the corner. From Mike Krack's first event with us as team principal to lining up with the rest of the F1 grid. This is #IAMSTORIES | INSIDER. With testing complete, we're ready to take on the Bahrain Grand Prix. How will you be cheering us on?
14:35 - We'd be amazed if you somehow missed it, but in case you did, Nico will be standing in for Sebastian this weekend. More here.
14:30 - Hello and welcome to coverage of the first practice sessions of the 2022 season. Wrapping up the 2021 campaign in Abu Dhabi last year feels like it was only yesterday, but a huge amount has happened since then.
Our team has risen to the challenge of designing the AMR22 to Formula One's biggest technical overhaul in decades over the winter, and we completed well over 1,000km across Silverstone, Barcelona and Bahrain to get ready for the new season.
And we'll be bringing you the story at every turn. As always, we're committed to placing you, the fans, at the heart of everything we do. We Climb Together.
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