Ferrari's little rockstar has banked 56 laps so far as we edge towards the end of this first session.

Sainz, on a 1:34.905, is sandwiched between the Alpha Tauri of Pierre Gasly and fellow Spaniard Fernando Alonso in the Alpine.

Image source, Getty Images

The shutters have come down on our latest top pick...

Which returning driver did you think will rise to the challenge in their new environment? Alex Albon or Kevin Magnussen?

Albono takes it! 1,988 of your thumbs have predicted the Williams man will be a hit this season.

We'll have another choice for you later on.

Image source, .

Chris Wood: I don't think Mercedes are sandbagging during the tests. But I wouldn't bet a dollar against them not being up in the mix next weekend

Fernando Alonso is sitting in fifth place as the Alpine driver completes 47 laps, currently on the soft tyres.

Chris Medland
F1 journalist in Bahrain

Image source, Getty Images

There's growing confidence at Alpine after a much-needed strong day of running on Friday.

The team were on the back foot after the first test, with their running in Barcelona ended early by a fire for Fernando Alonso. They were a little more encouraged by the pace the car showed prior to the stoppage after some changes they'd made, but struggled to prove that on the opening day in Bahrain due to reliability issues.

Alpine managed over 100 laps on Friday, though, and Esteban Ocon had just the one stoppage (that was actually planned - teams have systems to check), and Alonso has already managed nearly 50 laps this morning.

Alpine don't think they're challenging the big three teams, but fourth quickest could be on the cards as they feel like they still have a lot of set-up work to do to find more performance.

'Mr Saturday' will be jumping in his own car this afternoon.

Will he get a new nickname this season? I wonder how long it will take for George to take his first pole position or race win?

One hour to go!

Chris Medland
F1 journalist in Bahrain

Alfa Romeo rookie Zhou Guanyu spent a brief time at the top of the timing screens this morning before being supplanted by the updated Red Bull in the hands of Sergio Perez.

While no team has looked particularly off the pace during pre-season - the gaps are small between most of the field - it's fair to say that isn't a position that is any way representative of how strong Alfa Romeo might be.

The car looks solid, but don't expect to see it at the sharp end come the first race.

Esco Pablabar: Why are Mercedes underwhelming us by such an amount, surely it's a concern for them.

Peter: I thought, until now, that a few of the teams may have been doing the "sandbagging" thing .... I'm not so sure now. I think more than one (including Mercedes) are genuinely struggling.

We're onboard with Carlos Sainz as the Spanish drivers looks to improve on his quickest time of 1:34.905.

Gasly still has a Mercedes on his tail but Hamilton pulls out at Turn 13 and goes past the Alpha Tauri.

The pair are still following each other closely...

Lewis Hamilton is stalking the Alpha Tauri of Pierre Gasly as he hits 56 laps of the Bahrain International Circuit.

Lance Stroll has suited up once more to jump back in the Aston Martin before Sebastian Vettel takes over this afternoon.

Andrew Benson
BBC Sport’s chief F1 writer

Image source, Getty Images

Williams lost most of a day’s running on Friday with the brake failure and subsequent fire that afflicted Nicholas Latifi. As a result, they have changed their programme today to give the Canadian more time in the car, to make up for the laps he lost. Latifi is running this morning, and team principal Jost Capito says he will also get the afternoon. In between, "just after lunch", Alex Albon "will get a qualifying session because he hasn’t done that and so they end up with about the same number of laps."

Williams, Capito said, is suffering for their decision not to take part in the Abu Dhabi tyre test at the end of last season, when teams tried the new 18-inch tyres. This was made in 2020, before the takeover by new owners Dorilton Capital, on the basis of resources. "I was sure this was a disadvantage and it turned out it was quite a disadvantage," Capito said, explaining that it meant the team had a lot of learning to cram into a short space of time on the behaviour of the five compounds.

Capito said Williams had a sense of the competitive order - but this was different to what it had been in Barcelona two weeks ago because of the rougher track and warmer, windier conditions. "Nicky says the car is easier to drive," he said. "That doesn’t mean it’s quicker but if a driver has better confidence he will drive quicker. And Alex is very happy with how the car drives. What he experienced in the simulator is very similar to what he experiences on the track." Williams’s target? To improve over last year - and also through the season to come.

"Last year we had the ninth fastest car,” Capito said. "The objective is to be better than we were last year so we have to be seventh or eighth. And if we are the fifth now, we have to be the third or fourth (by the end of the year). It is more the development through the year than where we kick off from."

1. Sergio Perez (Red Bull) - 1:33.105

2. Guanyu Zhou (Alfa Romeo) - +0.854s

3. Pierre Gasly (Alpha Tauri) - +1.76s

4. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) - +1.8s

5. Fernando Alonso (Alpine) - +2.316s

6. Lando Norris (McLaren) - +2.399s

7. Nicholas Latifi (Williams) - +2.529s

8. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) - +2.924s

9. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) - +3.112s

10. Kevin Magnussen (Haas) - +5.511s

A fresh chapter for two returning drivers this year with Alex Albon slotting into pal George Russell's vacant seat at Williams and Kevin Magnussen a late addition to Haas' line-up following the sacking of Nikita Mazepin.

No doubt the pair will want to hit the ground running but who do you think will rise to the challenge in their new environment?

Hit the left thumb if you think Alex Albon will shine brighter.

Or click the right thumb if you feel Kevin Magnussen is the ultimate comeback kid this season.

Image source, Getty Images

Everyone, take a big stretch and get ready to decide who your next top pick will be...

Make that 46 laps for Lewis...

The Silver Arrow has a set of hard tyres on now.

Jack Beecroft: Mercedes do seem to be struggling more than others, I hope Ferrari are able to offer a challenge this year just to spice it up.

Sergio Perez comes into the pits but the front-left tyre doesn't want to leave the Red Bull. Luckily for the crew, this is testing and not Saturday qualifying, so a slower pace to fix the problem is absolutely fine.

I don't want to put the (text) commentator's curse on things, but good to see no red flags and fire extinguishers being brought so far today.

Just as I type, Lewis Hamilton locks up and goes onto the run-off area...

No problems for Mercedes driver, though. He carries on to complete lap 39.