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Formula 1 Bahrain March Testing

F1 Bahrain pre-season test - Day 2

Minute by minute updates on the second day of the 2022 Bahrain F1 pre-season test

Track action gets underway at 7am GMT and finishes at 4pm GMT. The day will be split by a one-hour lunch break (11am-12pm GMT) which can be reduced if requested due to lost track time from either red flags or poor weather conditions.

After missing the morning session on the first day due to the late arrival of freight, Haas has been granted time to catch up on the missed four hours of track running. The US team will continue for an extra hour after the chequered flag falls this evening and will be permitted to continue to run through the final day lunch break plus have two hours of further running tomorrow evening.

On the eve of the Bahrain test, Haas announced Kevin Magnussen would make a return to F1 to replace Nikita Mazepin following the termination of his contract, while the team also cut ties to title sponsor Uralkali due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Magnussen will get his first track time in the Haas VF-22 this afternoon, with new team-mate Mick Schumacher on driving duties this morning before handing over to the Dane.

Daniel Ricciardo will miss the second day of the Bahrain F1 test due to illness, with Lando Norris standing in for McLaren.

The Bahrain pre-season test will take place on 10-12 March ahead of the 2022 F1 season opener at the same venue, the Bahrain Grand Prix, on 18-20 March.

By: Haydn Cobb, Jake Boxall-Legge, Megan White, James Newbold

Stopped

Leaderboard

  1. Magnussen, Haas, 1m33.207s, C4, 60 laps*
  2. Sainz, Ferrari, 1m33.532s, C4, 60
  3. Verstappen, Red Bull, 1m34.011s, C4, 86
  4. Stroll, Aston Martin, 1m34.064s, C4, 70
  5. Hamilton, Mercedes, 1m34.141s, C5, 47
  6. Ocon, Alpine, 1m34.276s, C4, 111
  7. Leclerc, Ferrari, 1m34.366s, C3, 54
  8. Norris, McLaren, 1m34.609s, C3, 60
  9. Vettel, Aston Martin, 1m36.020s, C3, 46
  10. Tsunoda, AlphaTauri, 1m36.802s, C3, 120
  11. Bottas, Alfa Romeo, 1m36.987s, C2, 25
  12. Schumacher, Haas, 1m37.846s, C2, 23
  13. Russell, Mercedes, 1m38.585s, C2 proto, 67
  14. Latifi, Williams, 1m39.845s, C2 proto, 12
  15. Zhou, Alfa Romeo, 1m41.805s, C2 proto, 48
*Given one-hour extra session as part of Haas additional track time for missing Thursday morning.
Summary
  • Ocon tops morning session after Latifi's Williams suffers rear brake fire which causes red flag
  • Session ended early after Bottas's Alfa Romeo stopped on track
  • Ocon triggers mid-afternoon red flag when his Alpine stops on track, shortly followed by another red flag for Norris
  • Ricciardo missing for McLaren due to illness
With that we'll wrap up this live text coverage on Day 2 of the Bahrain F1 pre-season test, safe in the knowledge we get to do it all over again tomorrow! Don't forget to return bright and early for the 7am GMT start tomorrow for the final day of 2022 F1 pre-season testing. Bye bye!
It is somewhat amusing that the fastest overall time wasn't seen by the vast majority given the non-stop coverage of the Bahrain F1 test but here we are. It is only testing after all and if Magnussen and Haas remain P1 for the Bahrain GP next weekend, well, we are in for one heck of a season.
Checkered flag
And that is finally that. Magnussen finishes his extra hour for Haas with the top time of the day, a 1m33.207s, with 60 laps to his name this afternoon. Not a bad way to make your F1 comeback.
The Dane is still on track on the softs but he hasn't threatened to beat his own top time yet. Maybe that was enough of a warning to the rest...
That's one way to mark your return to F1, go quickest on an empty track after everyone has written their end of day test reports. Bravo, Haas and Magnussen.
Stopwatch
Hold the front page! Magnussen has gone quickest overall with a 1m33.207s.
Stopwatch
Magnussen improves again for Haas, still on the C3s, with a 1m34.437s but stays seventh overall.
Stopwatch
Magnussen, in his exclusive track running, has improved on his personal best with a 1m34.532s to go seventh fastest overall.
Breaking news

Here's a full recap on the Day 2 action at the Bahrain F1 test: 

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/2022-bahrain-f1-test-sainz-heads-verstappen-on-day-2/8902603/

Magnussen is duly out on track, on C3s, to start the extra hour of running Haas has been granted for this evening. The Danish driver will have the freedom of the Bahrain circuit to himself, which must be nice.
Sainz tops the official end for today's testing with a 1m33.532s, to cap another very strong showing from Ferrari. Just one more day to go and then that'll be it for pre-season testing!
Red flag

The red flag is out to end Day 2 of the Bahrain test - except for Haas that has been permitted an extra hour of running this evening after missing Thursday morning due to freight delays.

Verstappen pits after a couple laps while Sainz completes a practice pitstop which provides a pretty low key end to today's action.
Stroll is wheeled back into the Aston Martin garage while there isn't really a rolling restart as Sainz and Verstappen continue as normal. Hmm.
Or not, as Stroll comes to a halt at the end of the pitlane and the Aston Martin mechanics go sprinting after him.
Oh, this time it'll be a rolling start, what fun. Sainz, Verstappen and Stroll have opted to join in.

What this also means is in terms of the outright lap times that's your lot, so Sainz will end Day 2 quickest. Ferrari also topped Day 2 at the Barcelona test with Leclerc to create some nice symmetry.

So, if this follows the same procedure as this morning there will be a practice standing start on the grid shortly.
Red flag
Red flag - but unless anyone has come to an unexpected halt this stoppage was anticipated as part of the FIA systems check.
Schumacher spotting has become a new game during this test. Yesterday he was out in a vest and shorts and now, in a t-shirt and shorts (it is evening after all) he's got a very high vantage point overlooking the first and second sectors.
Stopwatch
Verstappen, meanwhile, goes second fastest with a 1m34.011s on the C4 tyres.
Norris winds up his McLaren for a second crack and puts in a strong first sector but opts not to complete the lap and pits. Boo.
Norris, on the C4s, looked like he was lining up for a hot lap but locked up for Turn 1 which wrecked the lap before it even started. That's become a serious problem for McLaren this test.
Given the laps put in this afternoon it is a bit surprising to still see such a gap to Sainz at the top of the timesheet, as half a second still splits him from Stroll in second. Track conditions and the weather haven't been ideal, mind.
The Sainz vs Verstappen moment did demonstrate how close the drivers could follow each other in the new generation of cars, which is very encouraging for the season ahead.
This is testing but that was some great racing. Verstappen and Sainz go wheel-to-wheel for half a lap and trade overtakes; Verstappen at the final corner up the inside, then Sainz gets him back at Turn 1 before the Red Bull dives back in front at Turn 2.
Stopwatch
Norris takes over one second out of his previous personal best but remains seventh overall with a 1m34.609s on the C3 medium tyres.
Stopwatch
Hamilton responds to Verstappen's lap with a 1m34.141s on the C5s to go third overall, around a tenth quicker than the Red Bull, but was 13km/h down on the straight. What does it all mean?
Stopwatch