SAKHIR.- The British Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) set the best time of the second session and the free practice day of the Bahrain Grand Prix, the first event of the new Formula 1 season, this Thursday at the Sakhir circuit.
The seven-time world champion was on the day’s time sheet just ahead of his teammate and compatriot George Russell and the Aston Martin of Spanish veteran Fernando Alonso, who presented the third best time.
Also Spanish, Carlos Sainz Jr (Ferrari) and Australian Oscar Piastri (McLaren) completed the ‘Top 5’ of this opening day of the World Cup.
The current triple world champion, the Dutch Max Verstappen (Red Bull), was sixth this Thursday.
In the second free practice session, held at dusk in Bahrain, all the drivers improved their times in relation to the first free practice session, held a few hours before and where the fastest was the Australian Daniel Ricciardo (Racing Bulls , former Alpha Tauri).
The second session is the most representative regarding the conditions of the qualifying session, scheduled on Friday at 5:00 p.m. local (2:00 p.m. GMT). Before that, the third and final free practice session will take place.
The Bahrain Grand Prix race, the first of the new World Championship, will be on Saturday.
Second free practice session in Formula 1:
Lewis Hamilton (GBR/Mercedes) 1:30.374 (25 laps)
George Russell (GBR/Mercedes) 1:30.580 (23)
Fernando Alonso (ESP/Aston Martin-Mercedes) 1:30.660 (22)
Carlos Sainz Jr (ESP/Ferrari) 1:30.769 (25)
Oscar Piastri (AUS/McLaren-Mercedes) 1:30.784 (27)
Max Verstappen (NED/Red Bull) 1:30.851 (25)
Nico Hülkenberg (GER/Haas-Ferrari) 1:30.884 (23)
Lance Stroll (CAN/Aston Martin-Mercedes) 1:30.891 (26)
Charles Leclerc (MON/Ferrari) 1:31.113 (26)
Sergio Pérez (MEX/Red Bull) 1:31.115 (26)
Alexander Albon (THA/Williams-Mercedes) 1:31.333 (26)
Daniel Ricciardo (AUS/Racing Bulls-Red Bull) 1:31.516 (26)
Logan Sargeant (USA/Williams-Mercedes) 1:31.715 (27)
Kevin Magnussen (DEN/Haas-Ferrari) 1:31.764 (27)
Yuki Tsunoda (JPN/Racing Bulls-Red Bull) 1:31.881 (29)
Pierre Gasly (FRA/Alpine-Renault) 1:31.951 (25)
Valtteri Bottas (FIN/Alfa Romeo-Ferrari) 1:32.001 (24)
Esteban Ocon (FRA/Alpine-Renault) 1:32.027 (25)
Zhou Guanyu (CHN/Alfa Romeo-Ferrari) 1:32.048 (28)
Lando Norris (GBR/McLaren-Mercedes) 1:32.608 (25)
FOUNTAIN: AFP
