The Alpha Tauri team are putting down the laps in the opening session.

And whatever they have been doing is certainly working as Pierre Gasly has just gone fastest, with a 1:30.049.

Daniil Kvyat is currently P10 on the time-sheets.

Is that a yes I hear? Good, because you are getting one.

As we are in Bahrain I thought I would test all your knowledge of the GP.

Question 1 - When was the first Grand Prix held at the track?

Question 2 - Who won that race?

Answers will be given before FP2. And there will be more questions throughout today and tomorrow!

Speaking of Perez he is now second fastest with 45 minutes to the session remaining.

The Racing Point has set a 1:30.201, only 0.068s slower than Hamilton's fastest lap so far.

Nick says: Perez has to be considered for the final Red Bull seat. Fourth in the championship as it stands, 100 points and he missed 2 races through COVID too.

John says: I think it has to be Perez at Red Bulll next season, feel bad for Albon, but Perez has just shown far more consistency and could potentially push Max to be even quicker and make them legitimate title challengers to Mercedes.

#bbcf1

Red Bull sporting director Jonathan Wheatley has become the third senior public-facing Formula 1 figure to contract coronavirus.

Wheatley, 53, tested positive during mandatory testing in the UK last week and will miss this weekend's Bahrain Grand Prix.

He is not unwell and has since returned a negative test.

It is not yet clear whether he will be able to return for the second race in Bahrain a week later.

Read more here.

Image source, Getty Images

So Hamilton goes to the top of the timing screens once again on the test tyre - going 0.14s quicker than his Mercedes team-mate, Valtteri Bottas.

Ferrari man Charles Leclerc has just had a mini spin of his own at turn 3 - he is currently 15th fastest.

A little spin at turn 6 for Grosjean.

On the radio he just said "tyre is completely gone."

Just as Red Bull driver Alex Albon puts down his fastest lap, Bottas goes 0.144 seconds quicker to set a 1:30.133.

So after 30 minutes...

Albon is quickest on the test tyre with a 1:30.426.

Hamilton is second with his 1:30.503 lap time.

Verstappen is third on the soft tyre and has just lapped a 1:30.552.

Who should have the final Red Bull seat?

Should it be Alex Albon, Sergio Perez or even Nico Hulkenberg?

Let me know!

It is a yes from Sir Andy - do you agree?

#bbcf1

Who will be the fastest driver in free practice today?

Bob says: Very good afternoon Victoria. Predicting a Mercedes 1-2, Verstappen close behind, battle for best of the rest... I’m getting deja vu at this stage of the season.

A very good afternoon to you too (even though it is still morning where I am.)

All the information for this weekend is below - fill your boots!!

So after 15 minutes of track action the timing screen looks like this:

1. Hamilton
2. Kvyat
3. Bottas
4. Albon
5. Ricciardo
6. Sainz
7. Latifi
8. Giovinazzi
9. Magnussen
10. Norris

If you want to hear the dulcet tones of the 5 live F1 team from Jennie Gow, Jack Nicholls and Jolyon Palmer then just click the play symbol on the top of the page!

Ignore my last post as Lewis Hamilton goes fastest with one hour and 20 minutes remaining of the session - he has just lapped a 1:31.014!

Bottas sets the pace with a 1:31.736, followed by Sainz, Albon, Ricciardo and Norris.

We can always rely on Lando Norris to impress when it comes to a new lid design!

So in FP1 Robert Kubica is in the car at Alfa Romeo in place of Kimi Raikkonen.

And for George Russell fans, he is not out yet as Roy Nissany is taking over in the Williams for this session.