The first grand prix of Formula 1's 2024 season continues today with free practice three and qualifying ahead of Saturday's race with the noise surrounding Christian Horner refusing to fade. Thursday's action in Bahrain, with the Grand Prix set for Saturday, saw an unexpectedly quick run from RB's Daniel Ricciardo who topped FP1 on a set of soft tyres before Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton went fastest in FP2. The Brit was a touch under half-a-second quicker than Max Verstappen as Red Bull seemingly struggled to find their pace. The seven-time world champion led a Mercedes one-two at the Sakhir Circuit as George Russell finished just behind Hamilton with Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso third and Carlos Sainz's Ferrari in fourth. Verstappen finished sixth, though there are rumours that Red Bull are hiding the true pace of the car. Elsewhere, Christian Horner drew the media's attention after Whatsapps allegedly sent by him to a female colleague were leaked to the press, in what could be an embarrassing development for the Red Bull team principal who had previous been investigated and cleared over alleged 'inappropriate behaviour'. Follow updates from the Bahrain Grand Prix with The Independent: Daniel Ricciardo tops time sheet in first practice session of new F1 season Why is F1 Bahrain Grand Prix on a Saturday?