Charles Leclerc Dominates Day Two of Bahrain Testing, Outpaces Norris and Bearman
Charles Leclerc showcased remarkable speed on the second day of pre-season testing at the Bahrain International Circuit. The Ferrari driver finished the day with a top time of 1 minute and 34.273 seconds, setting the standard for his competitors. Lando Norris from McLaren and Ollie Bearman of Haas followed closely behind, finishing second and third, respectively.
Day Two Highlights at Bahrain Testing
The testing took place under warm conditions, with Leclerc maintaining his lead throughout the day. His impressive performance left him over half a second faster than reigning World Champion Norris and approximately a second ahead of Bearman.
- Leclerc’s Best Time: 1m 34.273s
- Norris: Finished second
- Bearman: Finished third
All three drivers successfully completed over 100 laps despite a brief morning interruption caused by Norris’s car troubles. Meanwhile, Mercedes divided the testing between their two drivers, with Kimi Antonelli facing significant delays due to a power unit failure. George Russell took over in the afternoon, finishing fourth overall.
Driver Standings
Notably, newly promoted Red Bull driver Isack Hadjar also encountered early technical issues but managed to recover, securing the fifth position by the day’s end. Other prominent drivers included:
- Gabriel Bortoleto (Audi) – 6th
- Pierre Gasly (Alpine) – 7th
- Valtteri Bottas (Cadillac) – 8th
- Alex Albon (Williams) – 9th
- Nico Hulkenberg (Audi) – 10th
- Carlos Sainz – 12th
- Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) – 14th
Arvid Lindblad and Liam Lawson from the Racing Bulls team managed to secure 11th and 13th, respectively. Sergio Perez faced similar stoppages, adding to the challenges of the day.
End of Day Procedures
As the testing session concluded, Race Control conducted various system checks, with drivers responding to the flashing marshal posts that signaled yellow flags and Virtual Safety Car messages. Teams are now regrouping in the Bahrain paddock to analyze their data before the third and final day of testing begins.
This pre-season testing is crucial as teams prepare for the forthcoming racing season, with drivers keen to optimize their performance ahead of the first race.
