F1 testing: Carlos Sainz tops timesheets for Williams on day two in Bahrain

Williams driver Carlos Sainz set the fastest lap on the second day of preseason testing in Bahrain, narrowly surpassing the times set by the Ferrari drivers. Sainz's top time of 1:29.348 edged out Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc by just 0.1 seconds.

Headline lap times during testing are often unreliable indicators of true performance, with various factors such as fuel load, engine settings, and tire usage influencing the results. Williams has been cautious in their optimism, emphasizing that these times don't necessarily reflect their position among F1's top teams.

Thursday marked Sainz’s final day in the car before the first practice session of the season in Australia, and the Williams team focused on both qualifying and race simulations.

Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc were separated by only 0.052 seconds, with Hamilton setting his time in the morning session before handing the car over to Leclerc for the afternoon.

Mercedes showcased consistency with George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli finishing the day fourth and fifth, respectively, separated by a mere 0.006 seconds.

Williams team principal James Vowles cautioned against drawing conclusions from the testing times. "I think at the moment what you are seeing, which is a great thing, is the difference in fuel mass and power modes is masking the difference between the teams. That’s a good thing," he explained. "That means the sport’s getting closer and closer together, but it’s not a cold, wet Bahrain that we’re going to be able to determine the order. I think realistically it's only when we get to Melbourne that we'll see it, and my view on that is the top four [McLaren, Ferrari, Red Bull, and Mercedes] will be the top four. I think there's a large gap between them and the midfield, and then the midfield, not sure."

Red Bull faced challenges, with Liam Lawson completing 91 laps for the day but contending with a loss of water pressure that limited his morning session to 28 laps.

McLaren's focus appeared to be on aerodynamic tests and long runs, with Oscar Piastri in the car for the morning session and Lando Norris, last season's title favorite, running race simulations in the afternoon. Norris ended the day 14th on the timesheets.

A minor collision occurred when Piastri tapped the rear of Nico Hulkenberg’s Sauber in Turn 7. This small mishap caused no significant damage to either car.

Light showers throughout the day briefly interrupted the morning session. Haas' Esteban Ocon was the only driver to use intermediate tires, continuing to run while the rest of the field waited for the track to dry before resuming on slick tires.

The final day of preseason testing will take place in Bahrain on Friday.

Day two lap times, lap counts, and tire compounds

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