George Russell on the track in Sáchir.
Kamran Jebreili, Reuters
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Russell, who has raced for Williams so far this season and is still waiting for the first points in his career, dominated the faster first practice with a time of 54,546. Behind him, Red Bull drivers Max Verstappen and Alexander Albon, two tenths behind, while second Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas was over three tenths to fourth.
The second practice was under similar conditions as Saturday’s qualifying and Sunday’s race, and Russell, although he got used to the new car and needed a seat adjustment, did not find a winner again. He recorded a time of 54.713 on the shortened circuit in Sáchir and defeated the second Verstappen by 128 thousandths.
KING GEORGE RUSSELL WORLD DOMINATION pic.twitter.com/gYN1hYCWQB
– natalia (@ntkrlx) December 4, 2020
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“It’s not an easy circuit. It will be very tight in qualifying and the race will be a massacre,” Russell told Sky Sports. “But I think the times are a bit misleading. In the second it wasn’t entirely good, so we have something to work on. Among other things, the comfort of the car, because I’m a little beaten and bruised,” he added.
Nevertheless, Russell enjoyed the chance to drive a master car. “I learn with each bike. It’s not easy to jump into a car you know for a day and a half, but I try,” he said. “However, just being the fastest today doesn’t mean I’ll be the fastest tomorrow. But we’re getting better, we’ll see,” he said.
Bottas, who ranks second in the World Championship standings with a lead of just 12 points over Verstappen, was 11th in the second practice. He lost six tenths to Russell.
The penultimate Grand Prix of the season takes place in the same way as a week ago at the Bahrain Grand Prix on the Sáchir circuit, but it is run on a modified and shortened track. The circuit measures 3,543 kilometers.
| Trainings for the Sahara Grand Prix, Formula 1 World Championship in Bahrain: | |
| First training: | |
| 1. Russell (Brit./Mercedes) | 54,546 |
| 2. Verstappen (Niz./Red Bull) | -0,176 |
| 3. Albon (Thaj./Red Bull) | -0,265 |
| 4. Bottas (Fin./Mercedes) | -0,322 |
| 5. Kvjat (Rus./Alpha Tauri) | -0,465 |
| 6. Gasly (Fr./Alpha Tauri) | -0,620. |
| 18:30 second practice. | |
| Second training: | |
| 1. Russell | 54,713 |
| 2. Verstappen | -0,128 |
| 3. Pérez (Mex./Racing Point) | -0,153 |
| 4. Ocon (Fr./Renault) | -0,227 |
| 5. Albon | -0,323 |
| 6. Kvjat | -0,355. |
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