Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz set the fastest time during the second day of Formula 1 pre-season testing at the Bahrain International Circuit.
Sainz set a sequence of fast laps on Pirelli’s C4 compound – the second-softest of its range which will not be available at next weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix – to displace Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc midway through the afternoon session.
Sainz’s quickest time, a 1:29.921s, left him seven-tenths of a second quicker than Red Bull driver Sergio Perez.
Sainz quickest: Click here for Thursday’s pre-season testing times
Perez, who spent the whole day in Red Bull’s RB20, endured a minor brake fire in the morning before a problem caused him to crawl back into the pit lane in the afternoon.
But they were only minor setbacks as last year’s runner-up placed second to outgoing Ferrari driver Sainz.
Perez’s quickest times came on the C3 compound – which will be designated Soft tyre at the opening event – as he completed the most mileage by a single driver on Thursday, racking up 129 laps.
Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton finished in third place, also on the C3 compound, with McLaren’s Lando Norris likewise utilising the same rubber to classify fourth.
The afternoon extension started an hour earlier than originally planned amid disruption to the morning session, which was curtailed due to a loose drain cover.
The debris, on the entry to Turn 11, was dislodged by Charles Leclerc, struck by Lewis Hamilton, before being hit once more by Leclerc.
The session was red-flagged before the decision was made to truncate the morning session in order to undertake repairs.
As a consequence the lunch break was brought forward while the afternoon session was extended from four to five hours.
Daniel Ricciardo was fifth overall for RB, using the C4 compound, while morning pacesetter Leclerc wound up sixth in the final pecking order.
Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll was seventh, ahead of Alpine’s Esteban Ocon, who suffered a sizeable lock-up into Turn 1 and almost wound up in the gravel.
Valtteri Bottas was ninth for Sauber, with Oscar Piastri capping the top 10 for McLaren through virtue of his time from the morning session.
Logan Sargeant had a full day in Williams’ FW46 and recovered from an early brake-by-wire issue to complete over 100 laps.
Haas finished as comfortably the slowest of the 10 teams as Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg continued to work on addressing the long run pace that stymied its prospects through 2023.
