The second day of pre-season testing in Bahrain saw Carlos Sainz top the timesheets, delivering a strong performance.
While other teams focused on long runs and data collection, Mercedes rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli logged an impressive 84 laps, finishing just 0.006s behind his teammate.
With just one day of testing remaining, teams are making final adjustments before the season opener in Melbourne.
A rain-affected morning session
The second day of 2025 pre-season testing at the Bahrain International Circuit saw Lewis Hamilton set the pace in the morning, topping the timesheets for Ferrari as teams navigated changing weather conditions. In an unusual twist for the Sakhir desert, intermittent rain added an extra challenge to the session, briefly disrupting running before drying conditions allowed for faster laps before the lunch break.
Hamilton on top, Russell close behind
Hamilton, driving the SF-25 for a second consecutive morning, clocked a best time of 1m 29.379s on C3 Pirelli tyres. His closest rival was former Mercedes teammate George Russell, who finished just under half a second behind. Carlos Sainz rounded out the top three in his Williams, continuing to show solid pace ahead of the season opener in Australia.
Russell, who completed an impressive 71 laps, was one of the busiest drivers on the track in Bahrain.
The Briton managed to navigate the tricky conditions, which saw light showers hit the circuit in the second hour of the session. He also set the fastest lap at one stage, only for Hamilton to reclaim the top spot in the closing moments of the morning.
Rain disrupted running
The unexpected rain played a key role in shaping the morning session. Conditions deteriorated midway through, forcing teams to halt their run plans and retreat to the pits. Only Haas’s Esteban Ocon ventured out on intermediates, but with the rain easing shortly afterwards, the track transitioned back to slicks.
Once the circuit dried, Russell was the first to test the waters with dry tyres, followed by Nico Hülkenberg’s Sauber. This led to a flurry of activity in the final hour, with drivers keen to compensate for lost time.
Incidents and key moments
The session wasn’t without drama, as Oscar Piastri and Hülkenberg made contact at Turn 8. The McLaren driver attempted an inside move but was caught out as Hülkenberg turned in, leading to minor damage and a frustrated wave from the Australian.
Meanwhile, Red Bull’s Liam Lawson managed only 28 laps in Bahrain before his session was cut short, with barriers placed in front of his garage indicating an early end to his running.
Morning session standings
As testing reached its halfway point, Hamilton led the field ahead of Russell and Sainz. Pierre Gasly (Alpine), Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin), and Yuki Tsunoda (Racing Bulls) followed in fourth, fifth, and sixth, respectively. Piastri placed seventh, with Lawson, Hülkenberg, and Ocon completing the top ten.
In terms of mileage, Russell (71 laps), Ocon (69 laps), and Hülkenberg (56 laps) logged the most running, highlighting their teams’ focus on reliability and data collection.
The afternoon session showed promise
McLaren’s late start and Red Bull’s issues
Lando Norris had a slow start to the session, spending much of the first hour in the garage while McLaren worked on his car. However, he eventually returned to the track on fresh medium tyres, clocking a 1m 30.541s.
In the morning, Red Bull encountered a setback as Liam Lawson’s session was disrupted by a water pressure issue, costing him valuable track time. Team Principal Christian Horner confirmed that the team was working through different setups and that the RB20 appeared “less on edge” compared to last year’s car.
Rookie watch: Hadjar and Bearman gained track time
Among the rookies, Isack Hadjar continued his learning process with Racing Bulls, while Ferrari junior Oliver Bearman had an extended run for Haas.
Bearman focused on long stints with a heavier fuel load, keeping his ultimate pace hidden, while Hadjar posted a respectable 1m 31.029s.
A spin for Leclerc
Leclerc’s session wasn’t entirely smooth, as the Monegasque spun late in the day, likely due to a slight drizzle that intensified briefly. However, he managed to return to the pits with minimal damage, with the tyres bearing the brunt of the incident.
The weather holds, floodlights take over in Bahrain
Despite a brief spell of rain early in the session, the track remained dry enough for uninterrupted running. As the sun set, the floodlights illuminated the Bahrain International Circuit, making for a spectacular visual as sparks flew from the cars.
Sainz hit 100 laps as final hour of testing approached
Carlos Sainz hit 100 laps in today’s sessions, capitalising on having the Williams FW47 to himself for the full day. His long-run pace has been consistent, and with conditions now cooler and more representative of race weekends, Williams may yet unleash a quick lap on the soft tyres—one of the few teams with the C5 and C6 compounds available.
Liam Lawson, who has also had a full day in the cockpit for Red Bull, has 85 laps to his name, despite losing some valuable track time this morning due to a water systems issue. His current stint in the pits, however, is reportedly just routine maintenance as Red Bull ensures they can continue racking up mileage.
Bearman returned to the track, Haas played the long game
Oliver Bearman returned to the track after his Haas was seen up on stands earlier in the session. The American team continues to prioritise data collection over outright pace, much like their approach last year. It’s likely we won’t see their true potential until Melbourne when they finally push for performance.
Final Stages of Testing Day 2: Sainz maintains the fastest time
As the session nears its conclusion, teams are squeezing in their last few laps before the FIA runs its routine system checks in the final five minutes. These will simulate scenarios such as the Virtual Safety Car, yellow flags, and red flags, briefly pausing the on-track action.
Currently, six cars are still circulating, with Carlos Sainz holding onto the fastest time of the session. Meanwhile, Andrea Kimi Antonelli continues a long stint on the harder tyres but had a slight off-track excursion after losing grip. The track has improved significantly as the earlier rain cleared much of the rubber, making conditions more predictable.
Antonelli showed promise as Mercedes ran smoothly
The rookie driver has put in 84 laps this afternoon, underlining the reliability of the Mercedes package. His performance has been commendable, and he currently sits fifth on the timing sheets, separated from his more experienced teammate by a mere 0.006 seconds.
Haas concealed upgrades
Over at Haas, mechanics have lined up in front of the car to obscure certain details from prying eyes—a classic move when teams want to keep new developments under wraps. Whether it’s a new aerodynamic component or an internal system change, something is being kept hidden.
Meanwhile, Ferrari’s strong pace has not gone unnoticed. There’s growing speculation in the paddock that they could arrive in Melbourne with the fastest car, following their victory there last season. While factors like fuel loads and power unit settings remain unclear, both Hamilton and Leclerc appear extremely confident, a possible indication that Ferrari has made a significant step forward.
Feature Image Credit: Red Bull Content Pool
