Charles Leclerc closed out the second day of pre-season testing in Bahrain as the fastest driver on track, keeping Ferrari’s encouraging start intact as squads pushed through heavy mileage. The session stretched from the furnace-like afternoon into a cooler desert night, giving teams a useful range of temperatures to probe setups and systems. Rather than chasing flashy single laps, most outfits treated the day as a durability and data-gathering exercise: long runs, repeated stints and careful telemetry harvesting took priority.
What teams were really after
Beyond the stopwatch, engineers were focused on three things: how the tyres behaved over distance, how effective cooling systems were in different ambient conditions, and how aerodynamic balance changed as fuel burned off. Those themes shaped programmes across the pit lane. A few brief technical interruptions and routine Race Control checks slowed running at times, but
Standout performances and session highlights
Leclerc delivered the day’s best lap — a 1:34.273 — while also completing more than 100 laps as Ferrari mixed single-lap pace with extended race simulations. Lando Norris kept McLaren close, roughly half a second adrift, after a methodical test schedule. Rookie Ollie Bearman impressed for Haas too, logging heavy mileage and showing consistent stints in race-distance work.
Most teams used the long runs to map tyre degradation, validate suspension and aero settings, and build reliable fuel-consumption models. That kind of time in the saddle gives engineers the concrete curves and traces they need to decide which parts and settings can carry forward and which need rethinking before the final test day.
Technical hiccups and quick fixes
Not everyone enjoyed an uninterrupted day. Mercedes split running between drivers but suffered a morning power-unit fault that curtailed one driver’s time, forcing a compressed afternoon programme. A newly promoted Red Bull driver also had an early issue; engineers isolated the fault, performed checks and got the car back out to put in a tidy second-half effort, prioritising system validation over outright speed.
Those incidents highlighted a testing truth: finding and fixing problems under real running conditions is the point of these sessions. Teams leaned on rapid diagnosis, component swaps and detailed telemetry to validate repairs and regain useful mileage.
Race Control rehearsals — small disruptions, big learning
As evening fell, Race Control and marshals ran coordinated procedures that triggered a few Virtual Safety Car phases and short red-flag stoppages. Far from being merely procedural bumps in the schedule, those episodes were used deliberately: engineers compared temperature and brake traces around the interruptions, teams practised crisp radio calls during transitions, and pit crews tightened routines for managing traffic and thermal loads.
Mileage milestones and what they mean
Several teams pushed past 100 laps to stress-test tyre degradation and endurance behaviour. McLaren, Haas and a clutch of midfield outfits focused on consistency; Audi — building up to its first full campaign — split duties to establish a robust baseline. Alpine, Cadillac and Williams all completed valuable programmes despite minor interruptions (a lost mirror and a few quick repairs among them).
That accumulated running feeds straight into the next steps: more refined setup iterations, clearer tyre-selection strategies and more realistic race simulations. Teams that logged longer stints now have better degradation curves and fuel-consumption figures to shape their plans.
Rookies and newcomers on a steep learning curve
For the younger pilots and those new to Formula 1 machinery, this was intensive schooling rather than a chance to shine on the timesheets. The emphasis on long runs, system checks and adapting to changing conditions accelerates their understanding of tyre management, traffic, and how small setup changes affect race pace. The mileage they bank now will pay dividends once official sessions begin.
What teams were really after
Beyond the stopwatch, engineers were focused on three things: how the tyres behaved over distance, how effective cooling systems were in different ambient conditions, and how aerodynamic balance changed as fuel burned off. Those themes shaped programmes across the pit lane. A few brief technical interruptions and routine Race Control checks slowed running at times, but 0