Bahrain Tests – Day 2: Leclerc leads ahead of Norris, Bearman takes third place

It was in calmer conditions, much less windy than on Wednesday, that the pilots of F1 took to the track this Thursday, February 12th, in Bahrain. Specifically, the absolute best time of the day, set at 1:34.273, was achieved by Charles Leclerc fitted with soft tires. The Monegasque driver, at the wheel of the SF-26 throughout the day – Lewis Hamilton will take to the track all day Friday – opened up a gap of half a second on the personal best time set by Lando Norris.

Even more important than each driver's absolute best time, the number of laps completed is a key factor. Reigning world champion Lando Norris, who completed 149 laps, led his McLaren over 149 laps around the Sakhir circuit, ten more than Charles Leclerc in his Classic Ferrari for saleMore surprisingly, although consistent with the previous day's observations, Oliver Bearman also distinguished himself, completing 130 laps at the wheel of his HaasWith the third fastest time of the day, and also the third highest total number of laps, the Briton delivered a performance in line with that of his teammate.Esteban Ocon, author of 115 laps on Wednesday.

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Gasly, Hadjar and Mercedes face setbacks

In the realm of mishaps, Mercedes Benz It wasn't the idyllic day they had hoped for, judging by the inconsistent performances they showed. During the morning session, Kimi Antonelli only managed three laps due to an engine problem encountered right from the start. Later in the afternoon, George Russell had a calmer session, but one still marked by a few unexpected pit stops. With only 54 laps completed, the Briton didn't exactly reassure his team in this regard. There's still work to be done for the Brackley-based team.

Similarly, Isack Hadjar – at the wheel of the Red Bull all day – was unable to ride during the morning session. Due to a mechanical issue, the Frenchman was finally able to take to the track in the afternoon, completing no fewer than 87 laps on the Bahrain circuit. For his part, Pierre Gasly, which caused a red flag after stopping at the pit lane exit, was unable to rejoin the track after the early afternoon.

This Friday, the third day of testing will be an opportunity for the F1 teams to carry out their final tests before the coming week, on this same circuit. For example, Max Verstappen Lewis Hamilton and Lewis Hamilton will be back in their respective cars throughout the day, while the allocation among the Mercedes drivers will be the opposite of that decided on Thursday.

F1 – Bahrain Tests – Day 2
The day's standings