Carlos Sainz set the tempo for Williams forward of Ferrari pair Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, as rain impacted the second day of pre-season testing in Bahrain.
Hamilton had been quickest within the morning session — when the rain had the largest impact — however Sainz was considered one of simply two drivers to finish the total day of working, together with Crimson Bull’s Liam Lawson. Quickly after the lunch break, Sainz posted a 1m29.348s that moved him 0.031s away from Hamilton, with each having used the C3 compound tire for his or her quickest laps.
The lap time was symbolic given the very fact it noticed Sainz find yourself forward of the motive force who changed him at Ferrari, however of higher significance was the comparability to a yr in the past, with Sainz going 1.6 seconds quicker than Williams managed in pre-season in 2024. For reference, Ferrari’s enchancment in opposition to its headline time from final winter is 0.6s thus far.
After robust lap occasions on the C2 tire earlier than lunch, there was one blemish on Sainz’s 127-lap day as he suffered a spin at Flip 1 within the afternoon session, however he was considered one of a number of drivers to have a second, with the sunshine rain that endured for many of the day reducing the grip stage. Leclerc was third quickest, simply 0.083s off Sainz’s time, and in addition spun on chilly tires when touring slowly by means of the ultimate nook.
Whereas the afternoon’s climate was removed from very best, it did at the least permit working to happen largely uninterrupted, in contrast to within the morning session. After in a single day rain, gentle drizzle began to accentuate to the purpose that drivers returned to their garages round an hour into the day, and for a spell the one motion got here from Esteban Ocon lapping on intermediate tires.
The sight was uncommon as a result of eight of the ten groups had not chosen any moist climate tires in any respect for pre-season testing in Bahrain, with an expectation of scorching and dry climate within the Center East. The tire alternatives are made again in December previous to transport, and whereas Pirelli has supplied an emergency set of intermediate and moist tires to groups previously, that was solely attainable when the primary race was held in Bahrain.
This season, the opening race is in Australia so the groups have been warned they needed to choose the personal moist tires in the event that they wished some, and solely Haas — with one set of intermediates and one set of full wets — and Aston Martin (with three units of intermediates) did so.
Hamilton appeared extra at dwelling in his second day of working with the Ferrari SF-25. Peter Fox/Getty Photographs
The circumstances restricted Hamilton to only 45 laps and he admitted afterwards that he would have preferred extra, however in pushing the Ferrari’s limits greater than on the opening day he was inspired by the suggestions he obtained from the automotive. On the run Hamilton set his quickest time, he needed to abort his first try after working out of highway at Flip 11, however had loads of gas to have the ability to take a cooldown lap and go once more, posting a 1m29.379s.
Beneath 0.1s coated the highest three, after which it was the Mercedes pair of George Russell and Kimi Antonelli who ended the day fourth and fifth respectively. Over 0.4s off Sainz, the 2 have been separated by simply 0.006s as Antonelli amassed 87 laps after lunch, though workforce principal Toto Wolff urged the workforce isn’t seeing a repeat of its benefit in chilly circumstances thus far this week.
Lance Stroll was sixth for Aston Martin because the workforce’s mileage remained comparatively low, forward of Lawson after a disjointed day for Crimson Bull. The workforce suffered from a lack of engine water strain and had a protracted spell within the storage in direction of the top of the morning, whereas additional storage visits later within the day saved Lawson under the 100-lap mark.
For comparability, Isack Hadjar’s whole of 94 laps have been three greater than Lawson managed, regardless of the Racing Bulls rookie solely driving within the afternoon session. Hadjar was additionally the one driver to set his greatest lap on the C4 compound tire, with the rest of the sector utilizing the C3.
Jack Doohan was one other rookie who jumped within the automotive after lunch and continued some stable work for Alpine, though he had a couple of off-track moments, together with a high-speed slide after working large on the closing nook.
McLaren didn’t function on the high of the occasions however the automotive was once more wanting effectively balanced within the chilly and damp circumstances. There was an uncommon second previous to the break in working when Oscar Piastri understeered large into Nico Hulkenberg because the Stake Sauber driver tried to let him by means of at Flip 8, however no important harm was completed because the Australian ended up in thirteenth place by the top of working.
Teammate Lando Norris completed one place behind Piastri, though that belied the automotive’s tempo. Norris seemed set to leap up the timing screens within the closing quarter-hour of the day however aborted his lap — that had included the quickest center sector of all — to finish pit cease observe for McLaren.
