Plenty of learnings to take into next week

That's it for Round 1! Alex crosses the line in P15.

"Turn 4 braking is very strange!"

Three to go! 💪 P15 for Alex currently.

Less than ten laps to go. Come on Albono! Lap 48/57

Alex has the 2nd youngest set of hard tyres in the field. Could this race come to him in the final stages? P15 as it stands. Lap 43/57

Alex pits and puts on a set of hards. He exits in P15 but is caught by RIC on the warmer soft tyres ahead of Turn 4. P16 with 19 to go... Lap 38/57

"Box box!" Lap 37/57

Alex is going deep into this second stint, thanks to the longer time spent on the softs at the start. He is up to P10 as the field pits around him, and he has clear air to hammer in the lap times! Lap 36/57

The air temperature is only 18 degrees celsius, but Alex is driving off-line to keep his temperatures down. Lap 33/57

ZHO pits and Albono leapfrogs into P12. He remains in MAG's DRS window. Lap 30/57

Alex's steering wheel flashes 'CAR TOO HOT' briefly. He will be managing those temperatures. He is just half a second behind MAG. Lap 27/57

"You're doing a good job!" Lap 26/57

Alex is within the DRS zone of MAG. His tyres are several laps younger too. Can he get this done? Lap 25/57

Albono gets past OCO before Turn 4. He's up to P14 as it stands. Lap 18/57

A quick stop and it's back to the action

Alex does finally box, and rejoins right alongside OCO. He's in P15 but will have much younger tyres come the end of this stint! Lap 17/57

"Box box!"

Albono is going deep into this opening stint on the softs. He is up to P3 as it stands, only Verstappen and Alonso ahead of him. Lap 15/57

Several cars are into the pits. Albono stays out and is up to P6 for the time being. He is making these tyres work. Lap 13/57

The pack is settling into a regular pace now. Albono sits two seconds behind TSU, and two seconds ahead of MAG. P11 as it stands.

Alex is keeping within a second of TSU in P10. He's got plenty of DRS to help him through the lap. Knocking on the door of the points places...

Alex makes up two places in the opening corners as STR takes a spin and HUL takes damage. Albono is up to P11.

It's lights out and we are racing!

A reminder that Alex is starting P13, on the red-marked soft tyres.

The covers are off the tyres and we are into the formation lap. It's almost time for lights out!

It's time to kick off the 2024 Formula 1 season! Welcome to coverage of Alex's first race of the campaign, live from Bahrain.

"Well done, everyone. Considering we know where we can improve, it's a job well done. I'm pretty happy with the lap."

Something to work with tomorrow... 💪

So Albono's first qualifying session of the 2024 season gives him a P13 starting spot to work with. Let's see what tomorrow brings...

Alex's time isn't quite good enough for Q1 - he misses out on the shootout by just one tenth of a second...

It's a 1:30.221 for Alex. He's right on the cusp, this could be tight!

And that's everyone back in the pits with five minutes to go. Alex is P14...

Alex's first run of Q2 is complete, a 1:31.152 on old soft tires – there's more to come!

"That's Alonso five ahead, Sainz six behind... go push."

Alex has clocked the highest top speed of anyone this evening so far, racking up 321kph at the speed trap.

Q2 is underway, but there's no rush to get out there...

Dialled in 👊

Alex's time is good enough for P9, just four tenths off the top spot! A very exciting second qualifying session beckons...

Alex improves his time, putting in a 1:30.392

"Same again, pushing through 12... go switch to go out, gap ahead at five... go push."

Less than three minutes remaining in the session...

With most cars back in the pit after their first runs, Alex sits in 9th.

Alex's first competitive lap of the 2024 season is a 1:30.692, enough for P2 momentarily!

"Go Push"

Alex rolls out of the garage onto the track for his first qualifying lap - let's go!

And Q1 is underway, Albono currently biding his time before heading out for his first lap

Ready to roll 😎

We are back from the Sakhir Desert to bring you all the updates you need to follow Alex here in the first qualifying session of 2024!

And that's it...for now! See you in just a few hours' time for the first competitive laps of 2024.

And that's it for the final laps of practice before Alex heads into the first competitive session of the season in just a few hours time...

Answering the question, Alex heads back out for the final few minutes of practice before qualifying...

Albono makes his way back to the garage - will we see him back on track before qualifying?

Alex sets a new PB for this session, with a 1:31.965 to go P9 on the leaderboard for now...

Alex sets a 1:32.137 to go P6!

Albono heads back out with a new set of soft tyres on his FW46 - 20 minutes of practice to go!

Alex heads back to garage, currently sitting in P8

"Let's go push"

Alex sets a 1:32.495 to go 7th fastest of the session, before boxing and returning back onto the track...

"I feel quite disconnected"

Alex heads back out with a fresh set of red soft tyres on his FW46...

After a short running of just a few laps on mediums, Albono returns to the garage

Alex is underway and makes his way out of the garage and onto the Bahrain International circuit...

No sign of Alex so far in what is a very relaxed start to the session - currently only two drivers out on track...

And it's go time for FP3 - Alex gradually putting on his balaclava and helmet in what is a quiet start to the session from all teams here

Albono greeting fans as he arrived this morning

We are back live from the Bahrain International Circuit with all the updates you need to follow Alex on track - FP3 incoming shortly!

And that's it for today from the Bahrain International Circuit! Some positive running from Alex with more crucial laps in the FW46 under his belt. Bring on FP3 and qualifying tomorrow!

The second session of the day comes to a close as Alex heads back into the garage - A P11 finish for our Thai racer in practice today!

Alex boxes for a fresh set of soft tyres and heads back out for one final quick stint in last minutes of practice...

Albono in action! 🤩

"Second gear is very aggressive on the upshifts"

Alex continues to rack up the kilometres on the same set of now, 12-lap old soft tyres...

And Albono heads out once again on the same set of soft tyres - 20 minutes of FP2 to go!

Under the lights in Sakhir

Following his quickest time of the day, Alex heads back to the garage for now...

Albono continues to progress and sets a new PB of the day with a 1:31.333 - currently P11 with all drivers now on the soft tyres...

After a quick break, Alex is back out on another fresh set of soft Pirellis...

Alex heads back to the garage after 6 more laps on the soft tyre around the Bahrain International Circuit...

Alex moves into the top 10, climbing to P8 with a 1:31.715

Albono heads back out with a fresh set of soft tyres!

Alex returns to the garage after setting the quickest time on medium tyres of the session so far!

Albono picks up the pace and sets his quickest lap of the day recording a time of 1:32.414!

As the desert temperature drops, Alex heads out under the floodlights on fresh medium tyres...

And we are back from the Sakhir Desert! Get ready to follow Alex back on track for the second practice session of the day...

We'll be back in a few hours time for all Alex updates from FP2!

The first FP1 session of 2024 comes to a close, with Alex racking up 17 laps on medium tyres of the Bahrain International Circuit!

With eight more laps under his belt, Alex returns to the garage in P13 as FP1 enters it's final few minutes...

Albono doing what he does best 🏎

Alex sets a best time of 1:33.583 on new medium tyres - currently seven tenths off leader, Ricciardo

Nine tours of the Bahrain International Circuit complete so far, as Albono heads back out onto the track once again in this first practice session...

Albono heads back into the garage after a first running in FP1

Alex sets a time of 1:34.820 - currently P12 on the leaderboard...

Albono records a first lap time of 1:34.884 💪

Alex rolls back out onto track in the FW46 fitted with medium tyres, stay tuned for a first lap time...

After a warm-up lap, Albono has headed back to the garage...

FP1 gets underway as Alex heads off onto the Bahrain International Circuit!

We are only 30 minutes away from FP1, check back for more updates very soon 👀

Under the desert sun