Leclerc tops Bahrain testing day two, edging Norris by half a second

Charles Leclerc handed Ferrari the top spot in Bahrain’s second pre‑season test, posting a 1:34.273 lap on soft tyres. He beat McLaren’s Lando Norris by half a second, while Haas’s 17‑year‑old Oliver Bearman grabbed third.

Why it matters:

Leclerc’s lap gives Ferrari early confidence and a tyre benchmark. Norris’s quick time shows McLaren still in the development race, while Bearman’s speed highlights Haas’s rising talent. Mercedes’s low mileage flags reliability worries that could hamper its start.

The details:

• Fastest lap: Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – 1:34.273 – 139 laps
• 2nd: Lando Norris (McLaren) – 1:34.784 – 149 laps
• 3rd: Oliver Bearman (Haas) – 1:35.394 – 130 laps
• Mercedes: Russell – 1:35.466 – 54 laps; Antonelli 3 laps (PU issue)
• Red Bull: Hadjar – 1:36.561 – 87 laps (hydraulic leak)
• Incidents: Three red flags – Bottas lost wing mirror, Gasly stopped at Turn 1, procedural stop

What’s next:

Day 3 will focus on long‑run runs and fuel‑load simulations as teams fine‑tune aero balance. Ferrari will try to turn Leclerc’s single‑lap speed into race‑pace, while Mercedes hopes to turn limited mileage into reliability data. McLaren and Haas will build on early runs, and Red Bull will aim for a clean stint after fixing the hydraulic leak.