FP2: Hamilton leads Mercedes 1-2 in Bahrain FP2
Red Bull Racing/Red Bull Content Pool
Lewis Hamilton topped the timesheets in the second free practice session at the Bahrain Grand Prix, clocking a lap time of 1:30.374. Under the floodlights and in conditions mirroring those of qualifying and race day, Hamilton led a Mercedes one-two, finishing 0.206 seconds ahead of teammate George Russell.
Check out the results of the Bahrain Grand Prix weekend, including the race results, qualifying times, and practice sessionsFernando Alonso secured third, trailing Russell by just eight hundredths of a second. Carlos Sainz and Oscar Piastri completed the top five for their respective teams. Notably, Max Verstappen placed sixth, nearly half a second adrift of Hamilton's pace.
The session saw a strategic emphasis on the soft tyre compound for optimal performance, setting the stage for intense qualifying preparations. Teams shifted focus to longer runs after initial fast laps.
The remainder of the top ten included Nico Hulkenberg, Lance Stroll, Charles Leclerc, and Sergio Perez. Williams drivers Alex Albon and Logan Sargeant finished 11th and 13th, with Daniel Ricciardo in 12th.
Other notable performances included Kevin Magnussen in P14 and Yuki Tsunoda in P15. Alpine’s Pierre Gasly and Alfa Romeo’s Valtteri Bottas, who faced a pit lane infringement investigation, followed in 16th and 17th respectively. Esteban Ocon and Zhou Guanyu were 18th and 19th, while Lando Norris ended the session in 20th after an aborted flying lap.
Teams now face the task of analyzing data before the final practice on Friday at 1530 local time, ahead of the crucial qualifying session in the evening.
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