Surprise on the second day of training in Bahrain for the Formula 1, after the fastest car in the 8 hours of training went to Carlos Sainz with his Williams. The other headline of the day is McLaren, who blasted away at race pace.
Carlos Sainz, the fastest driver of the day
The driver from Madrid confirms the good start he has made at Williams. At the wheel of the FW47, he set a time of 1:29:348, the fastest on the second day of testing. It is a pleasant surprise to see Carlos Sainz top the table at the end of the tests, but we must know how to understand these results. Yes, it is surprising that nobody has been able to go faster than him, but we don’t know the configuration of the car he was driving, the fuel load, or that of his rivals.
Carlos Sainz has completed both days of testing, thus bringing his participation in this preseason to an end, as the last day will be completed by Albon. But he couldn’t have had a better introduction. Yesterday he finished in the top 5, below all the heavyweights on the grid, and very close to them. Today’s best time, inconclusive, will be an adrenaline rush for him and the team.
Mclaren scares
McLaren could be the perfect example to keep his feet on the ground with Carlo Sainz. Piastri finished thirteenth, and Norris fourteenth, if we look at the best times. But both drivers have simulated a race, and the times they have set are scary, they have flown over the (rainy) desert of Bahrain.
The British driver has been pulverising the clock with every lap he has completed. So much so that at one point during the simulation he encountered Charles Leclerc, who was also simulating a race, and he ripped off his stickers. The Monegasque driver tried to give them back, but it was mission impossible. Obviously, there was none of the aggressiveness of a race, it would have been nice, but it is a detail that speaks of superiority.
Light and shade for Aston Martin
If in the morning Fernando Alonso completed a good session, without the problems of yesterday, and with a good race simulation, the afternoon session was the complete opposite. Stroll did manage to beat the Spaniard’s best time, but he barely got any running in, and the sensations deflate the expectations raised by the Spaniard’s performance.
If we compare the times with last year, Aston Martin has taken a step forward, but the reliability problems could affect the team’s progress.
Mercedes, the dark horse
Mercedes is once again the big unknown (nothing new for the paddock). Russell and Antonelli set the fourth and fifth fastest times of the day and completed a good race pace. However, from their garage they claim that the sensations are not good. If we look at last season, Toto Wolf‘s team had some great weekends when track temperatures were low, as is the case in these practice sessions. From that point of view, we can believe what is being said in the Mercedes garage, but this team is capable of anything and we must not lose sight of it.
Ferrari on the prowl
Hamilton is already showing his face, and has achieved the second best time of the day, followed by Leclerc who was third. The Italian team seems to be in a similar condition to the end of last season. Everything points to them being a worthy candidate for the title, but we will see if they are capable of taking that step forward to break the streak they have been on since their last world championship.
Tomorrow the third and final day of pre-season tests will be completed, and the teams will look for the last tests before facing the first test of the World Cup, in two weeks’ time in Australia.