Ticktum tops opening morning of Bahrain F2 test
Dan Ticktum set the pace in the first morning session of the three-day FIA Formula 2 test at Bahrain.


The Briton, who has joined Carlin for this year, clocked a 1:43.021s benchmark to kick off the first action of the 2021 season for the F2 grid.
As an indication for the pace being run by the teams and drivers, the time was some 1.6s slower than the pole position time set by Callum Ilott in last year’s championship round at the Sakhir Circuit.
The three hour session was largely a chance for the grid to blow out the cobwebs and bed in drivers - of which 10 are rookies this year.
Ticktum set his personal best with just over an hour of the session remaining after topping times from Lirim Zendeli (MP Motorsport), who set the first real indicative time, and Liam Lawson (Hitech Grand Prix), who rose to the top of the times early in the second hour.
However, it was Ticktum’s effort that stood firm as the chequered flag flew leaving the Carlin driver with a 0.6s advantage over Lawson.
The sister Carlin of Jehan Daruvala ended up third fastest, 0.140s further back, while early pace setter and F2 rookie Zendeli was fourth.
Hitech Grand Prix had both cars inside the top five with Juri Vips in fifth narrowly ahead of Charouz Racing’s Guilherme Samaia.
Reigning FIA Formula 3 champion Oscar Piastri was seventh for Prema Racing as fellow F3 graduate Bent Viscaal (Trident), Marcus Armstrong (DAMS) and newcomer David Beckmann (Charouz Racing) rounded out the top 10.
Title favourites Robert Shwartzman (Prema Racing) and Gunayu Zhou (UNI Virtuosi) were among the surprise names near the bottom of the times.
Shwartzman sat at the foot of the timesheets having logged only seven laps during the session, while Zhou was also languishing until a late flourish saw him rise to 16th at the flag.
Richard Verschoor, a late addition to the test roster for MP Motorsport, logged the most mileage racking up 38 laps during the session.
The session ran largely without incident barring a brief five minute stoppage in the first hour, caused by Verschoor coming to a halt on the back straight.
Teams will be back in action later today for the afternoon session which concludes at 2pm UK time.
Pos | Driver | Team | Time | Gap | Laps |
1 | Dan Ticktum | Carlin | 1'43.021 | 14 | |
2 | Liam Lawson | Hitech Grand Prix | 1'43.621 | 0.600 | 17 |
3 | Jehan Daruvala | Carlin | 1'43.761 | 0.740 | 15 |
4 | Lirim Zendeli | MP Motorsport | 1'44.095 | 1.074 | 35 |
5 | Jüri Vips | Hitech Grand Prix | 1'44.143 | 1.122 | 16 |
6 | Guilherme Samaia | Charouz Racing System | 1'44.332 | 1.311 | 31 |
7 | Oscar Piastri | Prema Racing | 1'44.346 | 1.325 | 8 |
8 | Bent Viscaal | Trident | 1'44.408 | 1.387 | 19 |
9 | Marcus Armstrong | DAMS | 1'44.480 | 1.459 | 13 |
10 | David Beckmann | Charouz Racing System | 1'44.529 | 1.508 | 31 |
11 | Marino Sato | Trident | 1'44.620 | 1.599 | 15 |
12 | Felipe Drugovich | UNI-Virtuosi | 1'44.706 | 1.685 | 25 |
13 | Richard Verschoor | MP Motorsport | 1'44.859 | 1.838 | 38 |
14 | Christian Lundgaard | ART Grand Prix | 1'44.880 | 1.859 | 21 |
15 | Théo Pourchaire | ART Grand Prix | 1'45.038 | 2.017 | 19 |
16 | Guanyu Zhou | UNI-Virtuosi | 1'45.060 | 2.039 | 18 |
17 | Roy Nissany | DAMS | 1'45.471 | 2.450 | 18 |
18 | Matteo Nannini | HWA Racelab | 1'45.486 | 2.465 | 26 |
19 | Ralph Boschung | Campos Racing | 1'45.496 | 2.475 | 24 |
20 | Gianluca Petecof | Campos Racing | 1'46.362 | 3.341 | 27 |
21 | Alessio Deledda | HWA Racelab | 1'48.816 | 5.795 | 28 |
22 | Robert Shwartzman | Prema Racing | 1'58.546 | 15.525 | 7 |

Verschoor to fill vacant MP Motorsport seat in Bahrain F2 test
Rookie Beckmann ends first F2 Bahrain test day on top

Latest news
The other Doohan charting his way to motorsport success
Heading into FIA Formula 2 this season, there was a lot of pressure on Jack Doohan. The 2021 F3 runner-up joined a new team for his next challenge, as well as signing up to the Alpine Academy. He told Autosport how he’s tackling the step up - with some help from his motorcycle legend father
The Brazilian F2 driver hoping to return his country to motorsport's top tier
With a chaotic but “pretty much perfect” FIA Formula 2 weekend in Saudi Arabia behind him, Felipe Drugovich now leads the drivers’ standings in his third crack at the series. The Brazilian driver explains how he's improved amid some difficult years, and shares his dreams of ending his nation's absence from the F1 grid
The Red Bull junior aiming to emulate Piastri in F2
Norwegian talent Dennis Hauger has a tough act to follow in Oscar Piastri’s footsteps on his graduation to F2 as the reigning F3 champion with Prema. Here’s what he makes of the task ahead of him
The other Mercedes F1 young gun facing a big 2022
With a disappointing 2021 season behind him, Frederik Vesti makes the move up to FIA Formula 2 with a reinvigorated sense of determination. Could this finally be the breakthrough year for the talented Mercedes junior?
Ranking the 10 best drivers of an F1 junior series stalwart
DAMS has been one of the most prolific teams below Formula 1 since its foundation in 1989, launching 32 drivers into grand prix racing. Following the team's sale to ex-F1 racer Charles Pic, formally closing the book on the ownership of the Driot family, Autosport picks out its 10 best drivers during their spell with the team
How an F2 enigma hopes ‘coming home’ can reopen doors to F1
After a disappointing 2021, Marcus Armstrong is returning to FIA Formula 2 for another shot at the title in 2022 with Hitech – this time without the backing of Ferrari. This year, he says, he’s ready to give it his all in a last-shot bid to reach Formula 1
The hardships that haven’t dented an F2 rookie’s American F1 dream
Faced with no options for 2021, Logan Sargeant’s Formula 1 dreams looked set to crumble. But a last-minute Formula 3 seat and a strong season secured him an F1 junior berth and a Formula 2 drive for 2022. He told Autosport how his transformative season has affected both his personality and his future
Ranking the top 10 F2 and F3 drivers of 2021
With a veritable feast of feeder series talent in 2021, FIA Formula 2 and Formula 3 produced some of its most exciting racing yet. Although Prema Racing drivers once again dominated the respective series, drivers from other teams also stole the limelight to mark themselves out as stars of the future, or validate their highly-regarded standing