The second day of testing, considering the standings, ends with a surprise: Guanyu Zhou snatches the best performance ahead of Max Verstappen and Fernando Alonso's Aston Martin.
Different jobs, maximum yield
Times are of course still relative, and the top three confirms this in a certain sense, even if the impression one gets about this Red Bull is that it has no intention of hiding. Il Milton Keynes team he did two different jobs with Perez and Verstappen. The Mexican, who finished in fourteenth place in the general standings, did a lot of work by focusing on the long runs. Perez's race pace was in fact very good, characterized by great consistency. In the afternoon, however, his teammate Verstappen took the chair, working more on the qualifying lap. It wasn't a super smooth afternoon for the double world champion as he didn't ride for a good part of the session for an oil leak that your car suffered. For Verstappen his tests end here, as tomorrow the RB19 will be left exclusively to Sergio Perez.
Test Bahrain, Ferrari linked to the long run
Different work even at home Ferrari. The Maranello stable she focused on the race pace in particular with Charles Leclerc. Sainz, who ran in the morning, had confirmed that the goal of the team is grow in dry lap, and so it was done. After a difficult start, characterized by an understeering Ferrari, Leclerc he rose to the chair mounting the white rubber (C1 compound), which allowed the number 16 to have a truly excellent long run. The Monegasque finishes in eighth place, but the race pace and the balance of the car seen at the end of the session give great hopes for tomorrow. Ferrari is there and today, considering yesterday, really gave a great answer (if needed) to the most skeptics.
Day to forget
If on the one hand Ferrari and Red Bull give guarantees, at Mercedes, on the other hand, it was not a good day. Russell finishes thirteenth, ahead of Hamilton fifteenth. “The car no longer jumps, but today I say that we are not from the world championship" has declared the team principal Wolff during the day, giving a clear idea of the situation. Effort, a lot, considering that Russell had to stop due to a hydraulic problem. The Brackley team will still have to work hard, also because for now there seems to be very few certainties.
He gets on the engine
Continue to give guarantees Fernando Alonso. The Spanish rider will be the only one to arrive at the first race of the year with half a day more than the others, considering that tomorrow he will alternate with Drugovich. Many teams that have tried to raise the level of their engine, such as the AlphaTauri with the fourth place of De Vries, followed by Hulkenberg make the final ranking even crazier. Good step for the Sargeant's Williams, who with fewer loads of petrol, snatches the seventh position also collecting a good race pace.
Tomorrow the last appointment
The second day of testing in Bahrain also closes with this ranking! Last appointment tomorrow, with Day 3 which will be the last act before starting the new season.
Test Bahrain, Day 2: the final standings
