FP2 Results – McLaren Dominate Again

By Camille Lebez-Leroy

We got a better idea of the standings on Friday night in Bahrain, and McLaren is now definitely the team to beat.

Drivers lined up at the end of the pit lane right from the start, ready to take advantage of the cooler and more grippy conditions. Time began to decrease quickly as all three tyre compounds were used,   and the track was nicely rubberised earlier by F2 and F3 cars.

Verstappen was already unhappy when he made his debut of the weekend, first complaining about the motion of the Red Bull and then the brakes. Ferrari was in the middle, still trying to figure things out, although Russell and Hamilton looked fast at the start, exchanging top spots on the softs and mediums compounds.

Then the McLaren drivers showed up, and it was powerful. Before Piastri came and drove even quicker, Norris did a lap that left everyone speechless. The two were far ahead of the others, with Verstappen eight-tenths back and Russell, Leclerc, and Antonelli all half a second or more behind.

A steering wheel problem disrupted Alonso’s session, and Aston Martin seemed to be falling behind. While some drivers, like Tsunoda and Ocon, appeared to have trouble, Bearman and Hadjar once again made an impression, fitting in with the big names easily.

Teams switched to long runs as the session advanced to look at the race strategy. Although most teams seem to lean towards a two-stop strategy, Sunday could be unpredictable due to tyre degradation and the rough asphalt.

Piastri led a McLaren 1-2 at the end of the session; other teams will be worried about the gaps. He finished over a full second ahead of Hamilton in his Ferrari and half a second ahead of Mercedes.
Finally, Verstappen and Russell got into a friendly argument after the flag, when Russell slid past and waved at him cheekily.

Even though it is still early, the other teams have some work to do if McLaren’s speed is really this one.