Minute by minute updates on the second day of the 2024 F1 Bahrain pre-season test
The 2024 F1 season has arrived with pre-season testing in Bahrain.
All 10 teams have completed their launches and are trying to use as much track time as possible to prepare for the new season during the three-day pre-season test.
With Red Bull coming off a stunning 2023 season when it won all but one grand prix, can any of its rivals take the fight to the defending world champions? Signs were ominous after Max Verstappen dominated the opening day of the test.
The Bahrain pre-season test will run between 21-23 February, with each day’s track action starting at 7am GMT (10am local time).
Here's the latest from trackside: "An entourage of marshals and track officials are watching on as the drain cover is being rewelded into position. No word yet on a restart time, but the marshals have had the angle grinders out to get pieces into place. What happens in Vegas apparently doesn't stay there..."
"Reinforcements have arrived with a new angle grinder disc. Another man has started to prepare his industrial strength No More Nails to help the situation somehow."
The morning session will not be resumed due to the track repairs ongoing. Race control have called for an early lunch and the afternoon session will start at 2pm local time which is 11am GMT.
If anyone is getting deja vu, you have good reason. A Ferrari suffering damage from track debris sucked up from the power of the ground effect cars, which has forced track running to stop for immediate repairs. It is Las Vegas GP Friday practice all over again!
Ferrari has confirmed Leclerc's car floor has been changed due to damage sustained when he hit the drain cover on the kerb. The good news is no further damage has been reported and the team hasn't lost any running compared to its rivals under the red flag and early stoppage.
It is probably safe to assume teams that were splitting their driver run plans today will be weighing up what to do now, given their morning drivers have effectively lost nearly half of their track time today while the afternoon drivers will have an extra hour. Do they make the switch in the early lunch break to not lose further time when the track is open or give up more time by allowing the morning drivers to run at the start of the afternoon and then switch?
While Mercedes and Williams have a different dilemma, with Hamilton and Sargeant set to run the full day today. They will have lost less track time not needing to change drivers but still some due to the red flag timings and are unlikely to be given it back tomorrow.
The light at the end of the pitlane turns green so off we go again! Leclerc heads out straight away in the Ferrari - most likely to check over the car after the floor change.
Leclerc continues for a second lap so that's a sign all is well with the car. Ferrari plans to give him another half an hour of running before handing over to Sainz for the rest of the session.
The afternoon session will actually run for 5h10m in total because 10 minutes has been added on for a safety car and race control systems check. They were denied the chance earlier with the red flag.
Ocon joins the action in the Alpine, having taken over from Gasly, as Hamilton and Sargeant both leave their respective garages for a first blast this afternoon.
Norris puts in a very steady opening lap of 1m38.529s on the C3 tyres, giving him just the 6.7s to find to reach top spot. Safe to say he isn't targeting performance running yet.
Magnussen meanwhile pops up to ninth for Haas with a first timed lap of 1m36.611s, but almost immediately gets pushed back a spot by Bottas with a 1m35.473s for Sauber.
As Leclerc's track action for the day starts to wind to a close he will hand over to Sainz still in top spot. But will he stay there when the chequered flag is shown later today?
Thanks Haydn and hello there everyone. As well sitting top of the times, for now at least, Leclerc has also completed the most laps of any driver so far with 54.
But with the Ferrari driver sitting out for the rest of the session, that tally is going to be beaten with Hamilton currently out on track and on 53 laps. Some vital running for the Mercedes driver.
Also out on track is Lance Stroll who goes green in the first two sectors, but the Aston Martin driver backs off and heads to the pits before completing the lap. The Canadian has still to set a time after just two laps so far.
Personal best sectors are few and far between at the moment, with drivers and teams clearly focusing on long runs. Currently out on track are Sargeant, Perez, Bottas and Magnussen.
And yet somehow they both find each other out on the circuit... Magnussen backs off into T13 in the final sector to let the Red Bull ahead before diving into the pits.
And then there was one... Perez is currently on 45 laps in total and running the C2 tyre. His times are a few seconds off his fastest lap - a 1m32.879s - so obviously a long race run is the plan for now.
To put things into perspective, Verstappen completed 143 laps yesterday. Still more than four hours left but many miles to go before Perez hits that milestone.
