Dan Ticktum returns to the top in Bahrain F2

Carlin driver Dan Ticktum returned to the top of the timesheets on the second day of FIA Formula 2's Bahrain pre-season test in the afternoon session.

The Briton clocked a 1m42.185s session best to head a one-two for the British squad with team-mate and Red Bull junior Jehan Daruvala 0.434s adrift.

Ticktum, who topped yesterday's opening session, hit the top of the times with 42 minutes of the three-hour outing remaining before improving on that time with a late flyer.

Race simulations appeared to be the focus for the afternoon, with times visibly slower compared to this morning's running.

Therefore Christian Lundgaard’s benchmark effort of 1m41.697s from the earlier session remained the fastest time of the day and the entire three-day test so far.

Ticktum’s benchmark in the afternoon was enough to put him fourth fastest overall for the day behind Lundgaard, Bent Viscaal (Trident) and Marcus Armstrong (DAMS).

Christian Lundgaard, ART Grand Prix

Photo by: Formula Motorsport Ltd

UNI Virtuosi driver Guanyu Zhou was third fastest in the afternoon some 0.929s adrift of Ticktum, while Guilherme Samaia in the #15 Charouz Racing entry was fourth and the last driver within a second of the outright pace.

UNI Virtuosi ensured it had both cars in the top five with Felipe Drugovich in fifth ahead of Campos Racing’s Ralph Boschung.

A late entrant for the test with MP Motorsport, Richard Verschoor enjoyed a spell at the top of the timesheets midway through the session before ending up seventh.

Gianluca Petecof recovered from causing a red flag stoppage in the first hour to rejoin the action in the final hour, where he went on to put his Campos Racing entry in eighth spot.

Monday pacesetter David Beckmann (Charouz Racing) and Viscaal rounded out the top 10.

After topping the morning action, Lundgaard set the 12th fastest time, while both Prema Racing entries for Robert Shwartzman and current FIA Formula 3 champion Oscar Piastri were outside the top positions in 15th and 21st respectively.

The test was punctuated by two more brief red flag stoppages when Zhou and Liam Lawson (Hitech) stopped on-track in the final hour.

F2 testing continues tomorrow with the final day of action set to begin at 6am GMT.

FIA F2 Bahrain Test - Tuesday Afternoon Session

Pos	Driver	Team	Time	Laps
1	Dan Ticktum	Carlin	1:42.185	36
2	Jehan Daruvala	Carlin	1:42.619	36
3	Guanyu Zhou	UNI-Virtuosi	1:43.114	30
4	Guilherme Samaia	Charouz Racing System	1:43.129	40
5	Felipe Drugovich	UNI-Virtuosi	1:43.194	34
6	Ralph Boschung	Campos Racing	1:44.320	25
7	Richard Verschoor	MP Motorsport	1:44.335	20
8	Gianluca Petecof	Campos Racing	1:44.569	10
9	David Beckmann	Charouz Racing System	1:44.640	19
10	Bent Viscaal	Trident	1:44.879	42
11	Lirim Zendeli	MP Motorsport	1:45.052	21
12	Christian Lundgaard	ART Grand Prix	1:46.913	45
13	Théo Pourchaire	ART Grand Prix	1:47.429	47
14	Jüri Vips	Hitech Grand Prix	1:47.497	47
15	Robert Shwartzman	PREMA Racing	1:47.614	33
16	Marcus Armstrong	DAMS	1:47.900	44
17	Alessio Deledda	HWA RACELAB	1:47.904	30
18	Liam Lawson	Hitech Grand Prix	1:48.814	39
19	Roy Nissany	DAMS	1:48.974	42
20	Marino Sato	Trident	1:49.501	30
21	Oscar Piastri	PREMA Racing	1:49.824	32
22	Matteo Nannini	HWA RACELAB	1:50.445	18