Charles Leclerc Leads Morning Speed on Day 2 of Bahrain F1 Test
During the second morning of pre-season testing in Bahrain, Charles Leclerc set the fastest time, marking a competitive start for the Ferrari team. Lando Norris and Pierre Gasly closely followed him in the afternoon session’s timesheets.
Morning Session Highlights
Norris, who had topped the previous day’s charts, was the first driver to take to the track. Within 10 minutes, a red flag interrupted the session due to an issue with Sergio Perez’s Cadillac. After promptly resolving the matter, the teams resumed their testing programs.
Red Bull faced a slow start; Isack Hadjar, who replaced Max Verstappen, remained in the garage due to a discovered issue in the RB22. Meanwhile, Mercedes also had a limited morning, with Kimi Antonelli only completing three laps before returning to the garage.
Top Performers of the Morning
- 1. Charles Leclerc – 1:34.273
- 2. Lando Norris – 0.511 seconds behind
- 3. Pierre Gasly
- 4. Ollie Bearman (Haas)
- 5. Alex Albon (Williams)
- 6. Nico Hulkenberg (Audi)
As testing progressed, several drivers focused on accumulating mileage. Notably, both Norris and Albon surpassed race distance, showcasing their vehicle’s reliability and performance.
In the final minutes of the session, Norris encountered a stoppage at the end of the pit lane, requiring assistance from his team. Hadjar finally entered the track with one minute remaining but did not set a timed lap.
Session Summary
The morning concluded with Leclerc leading the charts, while Norris recorded the highest lap count of 64 laps. Gasly’s consistent performance placed him firmly in third, ahead of Bearman and Albon.
Following a one-hour lunch break, teams will return for an afternoon session, anticipating driver swaps among Mercedes, Williams, Racing Bulls, Audi, and Cadillac to continue their testing efforts.
