Gasly leads F1 testing as Mercedes car attracts attention

SAKHIR, Bahrain (AP) — AlphaTauri driver Pierre Gasly had the fastest time in Formula One pre-season testing on Thursday, where much focus was on the new-look Mercedes car and American team Haas missing the morning start after some of its equipment didn't arrive on time.

Gasly clocked 1 minute, 33.9 seconds on the 5.4-kilometer (3.4-mile) desert track in Sakhir. The session under floodlights ended a few minutes early with a red flag, after Red Bull driver Sergio Perez got stuck in a gravel trap.

Gasly was ahead of Ferrari drivers Carlos Sainz Jr. and Charles Leclerc. Seven-time F1 champion Lewis Hamilton was 11th in the sleeker Mercedes W13.

Four-time F1 champion Sebastian Vettel raced in a white helmet with “No War” written on one side and a dove of peace on the other, amid Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

The Mercedes car has attracted attention because it has much narrower sidepods compared to testing in Barcelona two weeks ago. The triangular slit for the radiator inlets could improve airflow by providing a higher cooling speed, and thus improving downforce.

Team principal Toto Wolff said there were no issues and that the design had been given the all-clear by governing body FIA.

“We are really proud of what we have achieved in terms of concept,” he said. “But now we need to make it go fast. I think it’s a development direction that we like, and it’s about tuning the car and so we are experimenting a lot.”

Haas, which recently fired Russian driver Nikita Mazepin and dropped its Russian sponsor Uralkali, did not run in the morning because a freight delivery problem meant their cars weren't ready. Haas got reserve driver Pietro Fittipaldi out in the afternoon.

“We finally got going today after all the delays with