Leclerc Tops Timesheets on Busy Second Day of Bahrain Testing

Charles Leclerc set the benchmark on a high-mileage second day of pre-season testing in Bahrain, as Ferrari, McLaren, and Haas each saw a driver complete over 130 laps. While Leclerc's morning time went unchallenged, the afternoon was marred by a timing blackout that obscured valuable long-run data from the top teams.

Why it matters:

Pre-season testing is the first real indicator of a team's winter progress, and mileage is as critical as lap times. Ferrari's strong single-lap pace combined with McLaren's relentless reliability are positive early signs. Conversely, Aston Martin's admitted deficit and Mercedes' continued struggles to get its young driver up to speed raise immediate questions about their competitive standing heading into the first race.

The details:

• Leclerc's Benchmark: The Ferrari driver's best time of 1m34.273s, set on the C3 (soft) tyre in the morning, stood as the day's fastest, putting him half a second clear of Lando Norris.
• McLaren's Marathon: Norris focused on high-fuel running, completing a day-high 149 laps, primarily on the harder C2 compound, showcasing the MCL38's early reliability.
• Haas Highlights Bearman: Rookie Oliver Bearman impressed for Haas, finishing third-fastest and logging 130 laps, signaling a solid start for the American team.
• Aston Martin's Alarm: Fernando Alonso, driving the AMR26, was nearly four seconds off the pace, corroborating teammate Lance Stroll's bleak assessment that the team is significantly behind.
• Mercedes' Mixed Day: George Russell recovered to fourth and completed 54 laps, but rookie Kimi Antonelli's program was devastated by issues, limiting him to just three laps without a timed run.
• Red Flags and Setbacks: The session saw five red flags. Pierre Gasly's Alpine stopped on track, Sergio Perez's Cadillac halted, and a mirror fell off Valtteri Bottas's car. A prolonged timing system failure also hid the long-run performance of Leclerc and Norris.

What's next:

The final day of testing on Friday offers the last chance for teams to validate their cars and solve any emerging issues before the season opener next week. All eyes will be on whether Mercedes can give Antonelli a proper run, if Aston Martin can find more pace, and which team can piece together the most convincing race simulation. The clock is now ticking towards qualifying in seven days.