McLaren tops day two Bahrain test as Cadillac red flag pauses session

McLaren reclaimed the top spot on day two of the Bahrain pre‑season test, with Lando Norris posting a 1:35.795 lap, almost two seconds clear of the field. A Cadillac‑powered Sergio Pérez stopped on the back straight after Turn 10, prompting a three‑minute red flag that briefly halted the session.

Why it matters:

• McLaren’s early pace suggests it could challenge Red Bull and Mercedes in the opening races.
• The Cadillac incident underscores reliability questions for the new power‑unit partnership, which could affect multiple teams.
• Testing data like lap times and tyre performance shape each team’s development roadmap before the season starts.

The details:

• Pérez’s Cadillac stalled on the back straight; the car was towed back via service roads while marshals cleared the track, resulting in a three‑minute red flag.
• After the pause, McLaren ran short push laps on hard tyres; Norris’ 1:35.795 was roughly two seconds faster than the next best time.
• Alpine’s Pierre Gasly completed the most laps in the first hour, logging 20 laps at the time of reporting.
• Mercedes, Racing Bulls (formerly AlphaTauri) and Aston Martin, which faced issues on day one, returned to the track but only ran brief programmes.
• Cadillac logged over 100 laps on day one and resumed testing after the interruption, indicating a steady accumulation of mileage.

What's next:

• The teams have a final full day of testing before the Bahrain Grand Prix, where they’ll refine setups, validate upgrades and address any lingering reliability concerns.
• McLaren is expected to focus on tyre management and aerodynamic tweaks to convert its raw speed into consistent race‑pace.
• Cadillac engineers will analyse Pérez’s stoppage to improve cooling and power‑unit durability ahead of the season opener.