SAKHIR – The longest season in Formula One history, a record 24 races, revs up for a Saturday start in Bahrain and what could be a long haul for rivals hoping to close the gap and beat Max Verstappen’s dominant Red Bull team.

The evidence from the three days of testing at Sakhir circuit last week was that the champions, winners of all but one of the 22 grands prix last season, were set to pick up where they left off.