Formula 1 Bahrain Grand Prix 2022 FP2 - Max Verstappen sets fastest time, Lewis Hamilton struggles
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Updated 18/03/2022 at 19:39 GMT
Max Verstappen was fastest in FP2 ahead of the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix. However, Charles Leclerc and Ferrari look like they're ready to take the fight to the world champion and his Red Bull outfit. He finished in second. Carlos Sainz finished the session third quickest. Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton had a bumpy ride in his Mercedes.
Verstappen 'very pleased', Hamilton downbeat after F1 practice sessions
Reigning champion Max Verstappen set the fastest time in the second free practice session, whilst Lewis Hamilton still struggled to get on top of his Mercedes, finishing ninth and +1.208 seconds behind his Dutch rival. Meanwhile, Ferrari once again impressed, finishing second and third quickest.
Ferrari's Charles Leclerc was quickest out the blocks and went quickest before Fernando Alonso momentarily topped the times as the field began their qualifying simulations.
The Monegasque driver returned the favour and demoted the Spaniard to second, only for Verstappen to set the fastest lap of 2022 so far, setting a 1:31:936 on the red-walled soft compound tyres, going 87 thousandths of a second quicker than Leclerc.
His team-mate, Carlos Sainz finished the session third quickest, but could have been a lot closer to the leading duo than what the times suggest, if it wasn't for a small mistake at the final corner.
George Russell was fourth quickest again, having seemingly found it easier to negotiate the early troubles of the new car. Alonso was fifth whilst Valtteri Bottas was sixth, just over a second off of Verstappen's time.
That's a very impressive effort from the Finnish driver who only completed two laps in free practice one earlier after an engine misfire hampered his and the team's progress.
Sergio Perez was seventh quickest despite a lock-up at turn eight with Mick Schumacher impressing in eighth.
With the set-up changes not working how he would have liked, Hamilton was ninth quickest. Despite the issues he's had so far in Bahrain, he admitted after the session that he hadn't yet looked to see what his team-mate, Russell was doing and was instead focusing on his own thing.
Kevin Magnussen was 10th quickest, having sat second quickest earlier in the session. That lap-time means five of the top-10 cars were all Ferrari powered.
Lando Norris was 11th quickest with Esteban Ocon 12th.
Pierre Gasly, who topped the first free practice session earlier, set the 13th fastest time.
Yuki Tsunoda was 14th despite having a lively end to the session when he got very close to Leclerc and the Aston Martin of Lance Stroll at turn eight.
Guanyu Zhou ended a very steady first day the office in 15th, Stroll was 16th whilst super-sub Nico Hulkenberg was 17th.
A frustrating day for McLaren was further compounded by another technical issue for Daniel Riccirardo, whose session ended with 15 minutes still left on the clock. He ended up in 18th whilst the Williams duo of Nicholas Latifi and Alexander Albon were 19th and 20th.
Every driver set their fastest time on the C3 tyre, but perhaps the headline of the first Friday of the season is Mercedes.
Despite what both Hamilton and Russell were saying throughout pre-season testing, many believed that they would still be the team to beat this weekend. However, so far they haven't had it all their own way and are left with a lot of work to do ahead of qualifying tomorrow.
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