After talking down their chances heading into testing, McLaren remains on the back foot after a difficult first day in Bahrain.
Aussie Oscar Piastri’s team will hope to resume normal transmission on day two with Lando Norris getting the first run in the papaya machine (from 6pm AEDT).
Follow live updates from day two of F1 testing in our blog below.
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DAY 1 TALKING PTS: Mercedes ticks crucial box; Piastri’s McLaren hits early trouble
Piastri opens up on Ricciardo | 01:12
LIVE TIMING LEADERBOARD (Updated 8:40pm AEDT)
1. Sainz, Ferrari, 1m32.486s – 32 laps
2. Alonso, Aston Martin, 1m32.969s – 32 laps
3. Zhou, Alfa Romeo, 1m33.170s – 30 laps
4. Magnussen, Haas, 1m33.442s – 34 laps
5. Ocon, Alpine, 1m33.490s – 28 laps
6. Perez, Red Bull, 1m33.751s – 48 laps
7. Sargeant, Williams, 1m34.084s – 46 laps
8. Hamilton, Mercedes, 1m34.178s – 38 laps
9. Norris, McLaren, 1m35.522s – 34 laps
10. Tsunoda, AlphaTauri, 1m37.687s – 67 laps
Fastest time on Thursday: Verstappen, 1m32.837s
McLaren’s slow start to the year continued with Lando Norris not exactly making a major impact on the timing sheets.
In contrast after Kevin Magnussen took the Haas to the top of the leaderboard in the early stages, Carlos Sainz set the fastest time of the three-day test overall, getting his Ferrari around the Bahrain circuit in 1:32.653, almost two-tenths faster than the best time from Thursday set by Max Verstappen in his Red Bull.
But what drew attention was another impressive set of consistent times from the Aston Martin at the hands of Fernando Alonso.
The Spanish veteran finished second narrowly behind Max Verstappen on Thursday and through a little over half of Friday morning’s session was again second, this time behind the Ferrari (which had improved its testing-best time by two tenths).
Looking at what appeared to be a climb up the leaderboard, either to the top of the midfield or potentially close to the front-runners, former F1 driver Anthony Davidson proclaimed: “Is that genuine? It seems believable to me. I think they’re in it.”
DAY 2 TESTING DRIVER SCHEDULE
Friday session 1: Sergio Perez (Red Bull), Carlos Sainz (Ferrari), Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes), Esteban Ocon (Alpine), Lando Norris (McLaren), Guanyu Zhou (Alfa Romeo), Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin), Kevin Magnussen (Haas), Yuki Tsunoda (Alpha Tauri), Logan Sargeant (Williams)
Friday session 2: Max Verstappen (Red Bull), Charles Leclerc (Ferrari), George Russell (Mercedes), Pierre Gasly (Alpine), Oscar Piastri (McLaren), Guanyu Zhou (Alfa Romeo), Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin), Nico Hulkenberg (Haas), Nyck de Vries (Alpha Tauri), Logan Sargeant (Williams)
Follow live updates from F1 testing in the blog below!