Oscar Piastri of McLaren completed 2,000 laps during the second day of pre-season testing at the Bahrain International Circuit, the most of any driver. Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes followed with 3,000 laps, while Isack Hadjar of Red Bull completed 6,000 laps. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) managed 4,000 laps and Carlos Sainz (Williams) completed 3,000.
Arvid Lindblad, driving for Racing Bulls, also achieved 6,000 laps. Lance Stroll of Aston Martin did not complete any laps, while Pierre Gasly (Alpine) and Esteban Ocon (Haas) both recorded 3,000 laps. Nico Hulkenberg (Audi) completed 4,000 laps, and Sergio Perez (Cadillac) managed only 1,000 lap.
The testing period has already revealed challenges for multiple teams. According to reports, four teams encountered difficulties during the session, though specific details remain undisclosed. Mercedes narrowly edged out McLaren in lap times, posting a time just 0.01 seconds faster than their rivals.
McLaren’s preparations have been described as “unconventional” by Oscar Piastri, who highlighted uncertainty surrounding the team’s approach. The team is evaluating its performance and adapting to the challenges presented by the fresh regulations and car development.
The pre-season test continues to provide valuable data for teams as they refine their setups and prepare for the opening race of the Formula 1 season, also scheduled to grab place in Bahrain. The differing lap counts suggest varied approaches to testing and potential reliability concerns for some teams.
