After Lewis Hamilton tested positive for COVID-19, George Russell stepped up to Mercedes and headed both Formula 1 practice sessions for the Sakhir Grand Prix.
In addition to Russell’s excellent start to life with the constructors’ championship winners, Jack Aitken took control of his compatriot’s Williams, while Pietro Fittipaldi took over from the injured Romain Grosjean, recovering from burns after his horror crash last weekend.
Grosjean returned to the paddock and conducted a number of media sessions about his crash, talking openly about the scares he faced in his burning car and his road to recovery.
To chew over Friday’s talking points. Autosport technical editor Jake Boxall-Legge joined by Motorsport.com F1 editor Jon Noble to digest a busy few days in F1’s ever-manic news cycle and Friday’s practice sessions.
They also look ahead to qualifying and, with about a second separating P1 and P15, the short lap and 20 cars vying for space should serve up a mouthwatering spectacle.
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