Leclerc Tops Bahrain Test as Red Bull, Mercedes Stumble
Ferrari's Charles Leclerc set the pace on the second morning of F1 pre-season testing in Bahrain, but the session was defined by major setbacks for Mercedes and Red Bull. Mercedes completed only three laps before an engine change, while Red Bull's car was mostly sidelined by a hydraulic leak, handing a significant track-time advantage to their rivals with just over a day of testing remaining.
Charles Leclerc set the fastest time of pre-season testing so far for Ferrari, but the story of the second morning in Bahrain was the severe lack of running for two of F1's top teams. Mercedes managed only three untimed laps before an engine change, while Red Bull's RB22 was confined to the garage with a hydraulic leak, logging just a single installation lap in the final minute.
Why it matters:
Pre-season testing is a critical period for teams to gather data, validate upgrades, and build reliability ahead of the opening race. The significant track time lost by Mercedes and Red Bull—teams expected to be at the sharp end of the grid—puts them on the back foot, potentially handing an early advantage to rivals like Ferrari and McLaren who enjoyed productive, trouble-free running.
The details:
- Mercedes' Major Setback: After limited running on Wednesday, the team's W16 completed only three laps with junior driver Kimi Antonelli before a full power unit change was required. This follows a car-side issue the previous day, compounding their problems.
- Red Bull Grounded: Isack Hadjar finally took the RB22 out with 60 seconds left in the session. The car had been sidelined by a hydraulic leak, a stark contrast to its flawless and extensive running on the first day.
- Ferrari and McLaren Prosper: With their rivals absent, Leclerc and Lando Norris dominated the timesheets. Leclerc's best time of 1m34.273s came on the C3 (soft) compound, while Norris focused on long runs on harder tyres, his best C2 lap half a second slower.
- Catching Up: Racing Bulls (Liam Lawson) and Aston Martin (Fernando Alonso) both reached 50 laps, making up for lost mileage on Day 1. Sergio Perez's Cadillac caused a brief red flag but still completed 42 laps.
- Morning Session Times: Leclerc led Norris, Pierre Gasly (Alpine), Oliver Bearman (Haas), and Alex Albon (Williams). Nico Hulkenberg was sixth for Audi, over three seconds off the pace.
What's next:
George Russell is scheduled to take over the Mercedes for the afternoon session, with Antonelli likely running all of the final day on Friday to recover lost mileage. All eyes will be on whether Red Bull and Mercedes can resolve their issues and log crucial laps in the remaining day and a half of testing. The lost development time could have ripple effects on their preparedness for the Bahrain Grand Prix in one week.
summary: Ferrari's Charles Leclerc set the pace on the second morning of F1 pre-season testing in Bahrain, but the session was defined by major setbacks for Mercedes and Red Bull. Mercedes completed only three laps before an engine change, while Red Bull's car was mostly sidelined by a hydraulic leak, handing a significant track-time advantage to their rivals with just over a day of testing remaining.