Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz tops second day of 2022 F1 pre-season testing in Bahrain

Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz tops second day of 2022 F1 pre-season testing in Bahrain. Carlos tops second day of 2022 F1 pre-season testing.

Another red flag to end the second day of the final pre-season testing session ahead of the 2022 Formula 1 season, as drivers were instructed to get back to the pits in the final minutes so Haas – who were delayed getting parts to Bahrain – can have another hour of sole running to themselves.

And it was another very satisfactory day for Scuderia Ferrari. Good speed, good consistency and good reliability make for an encouraging testing session, as Carlos Sainz set the pace at the Bahrain International Circuit on Friday. The Spanish driver completed 61 laps and set a bet time of 1:33.532s during the afternoon session to end the day nearly half a second clear of reigning World Champion Max Verstappen.

Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll finished in third place, just in front of Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton and Alpine’s Esteban Ocon, who was the fastest in the morning session, ahead of Charles Leclerc, before being shuffled down to fifth.

Scuderia Ferrari’s confidence in the F1-75 car seemed to be revealed when the Maranello team set up to run a full race rehearsal, only to be scuppered by Lando Norris’s stoppage in the afternoon. McLaren therefore endured a somewhat troublesome day with ongoing brake-related issues, as they confirmed they will not bring any new parts for the final day of testing in Bahrain.