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Formula 1 Pre-Season Test

F1 Bahrain pre-season test - Day 2

Minute by minute updates on the second day of the 2024 F1 Bahrain pre-season test

Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes-AMG, looks at the car of George Russell, Mercedes F1 W15, in the garage

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).

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Piastri and McLaren are yet to show their hand in this session as another personal best lap ends with a return to the pits, rather than complete the lap and clock the time.
We're into double figures with Leclerc now on 11 laps and Sargeant on 10. Hamilton and Hulkenberg are about to clock past that marker too.
As we tick towards midday local time, the temperatures are climbing, as is the wind. The track temp is currently 31.5C with air temp a relatively cool 22.3C. 

The wind is currently 3.7m/s, slightly up on the later Wednesday session.
Stopwatch
And a 1m31.822 to go fastest for the day. He's half a second shy of Verstappen's best from Wednesday.
Purple in sector two for Leclerc...
Here comes Leclerc on another push lap. Purple in sector one...
With the timing screens only showing soft, medium and hard tyre indicators - but all five dry compounds available depending on the team's selections this weekend - excuse any tyre errors here. On that note, Tsuoda was initially on C4 softs. RB elected against bringing any C5 rubber!
After 20 minutes, Hamilton has completed the most laps with eight. Sargeant is up next with seven.
Pit stop
A brake problem has been reported on Perez's Red Bull, with a minor brake fire seen as he returned to the pits. Not what he needed this morning!
Stopwatch
The first sort of performance run today is in as Sargeant clocks a 1m33.561s. He will complete his pre-season action today.
Perez is out of the Red Bull in the garage and is speaking with team principal Horner in the garage. Horner will face the media later today in the FIA press conference with questions about the ongoing Red Bull investigation likely to be asked.
Tsunoda is out on the track for the first time today and he has fitted the softest C5 tyre. We saw some running on that compound yesterday but no performance runs.
With the early runs completed, the track has gone a little quieter. Only Leclerc, Hamilton and Hulkenberg remain on the track - something that has changed while we typed, as Leclerc and Hulkenberg now also pit.
Stopwatch
On the C3 tyre, Leclerc is pushing on once again, setting a purple sector one, losing time in sector two, and crossing the line with a new session best of 1m37.055s.
Here comes Zhou in the Sauber and for a moment, we thought the car was covered in flo-vis paint. Then we realised that we just the lurid green livery!
Stopwatch
In a far quicker start to things today, we're already into the 97-second range, with Leclerc now topping things with a 1m37.623s.
Stopwatch
Perez sets the first time of the day with a 1m40.323s, but Hamilton immediately betters that with a 1m38.693s.
Piastri has immediately returned to the pits after an installation lap. But after a quick check over the car, he takes back to the track.
A lot of aero rakes feature on Piastri's McLaren. Only RB and Sauber are yet to take to the track. There's no messing about today!
Lights green
Hamilton and Piastri join the queue and the lights go green for day two!
In advance of the gree lights showing, Alonso and Perez have both headed to the end of the pit lane. Both are obviously keen to get going, with Perez experiencing his first running of the test.
Just 10 minutes to go and then the lights will go green. With no red flag interruptions on Wednesday, we were treated to a full eight hours of action. Will we be so lucky today?
But the headlines beyond Verstappen's startling level of dominance - 
  • Reliability problems strike Williams - both Albon and Sargeant suffered woes during the day
  • McLaren and Ferrari pick up where they left off in 2023
  • A slow start for Mercedes - Russell was 12th overall with 121 laps in the bank
This means that Verstappen and Sargeant will complete their pre-season mileage today. Given the gauntlet laid down by Verstappen on Wednesday, will he reveal even more of his hand this evening?
The full rundown for today is - 
Red Bull: Perez AM/Verstappen PM
Mercedes: Hamilton
Ferrari: Leclerc AM/Sainz PM
McLaren: Piastri AM/Norris PM
Aston Martin: Alonso AM/Stroll PM
Alpine: Gasly AM/Ocon PM
Williams: Sargeant
RB: Tsunoda AM/Ricciardo PM
Haas: Hulkenberg AM/Magnussen PM
Eight teams slipt the running on day one between their drivers, with Mercedes and Red Bull the outliers, allowing Russell and Verstappen the full eight hours. 

Today, Hamilton and Perez will be granted their first time in the car.
Good morning and welcome to Bahrain for day two of Formula 1 pre-season testing. I'm Sam Hall and, alongside an early-rising baby assistant, I'll be taking you through the opening two hours of running today.

By: Autosport Staff

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