Lance Stroll: "I think there is some real excitement in the paddock this weekend because it is the first race with these new regulations. It is very tough to tell where everyone stands and we will not truly find out until qualifying tomorrow. For us, today was about continuing to learn about the car. We had some solid days in pre-season testing, but there is always more to learn so every lap is valuable. I do not think our times today were representative: I ran wide at Turn 11 on my Soft tyre run, but I am happy with our overall progress. I am looking forward to fighting for the best possible grid position tomorrow. I also want to say that Nico did a good job today after a late call-up, it is not easy to jump back in after time away."

Nico Hulkenberg: "I think today was promising for me: it was all about getting up to speed with the car. I spoke to Sebastian yesterday and he gave me his feedback and insight, so it is always good to have that preparation before jumping into the car. However, I was surprised by how different it was, the feel of the tyre, in particular, and the braking process. I am happy with my feeling in the car, though, and how I was able to build on every run to feel more and more comfortable. There is always room for more and we will keep working to make progress. This weekend will be a good challenge and I will enjoy every lap in the car."

Check out our Friday gallery from Bahrain, here.