Bahrain GP: McLaren’s Oscar Piastri quickest in Friday practice
Oscar Piastri led Formula 1 championship-leading teammate Lando Norris in a dominant McLaren one-two in Bahrain Grand Prix second practice on Friday.
Norris led the first session in the full heat of the afternoon with a time of 1:33.204 but Australian Piastri bettered that in the cooler evening conditions with a 1:30.505, 0.154 seconds quicker than Norris.
George Russell was third fastest for Mercedes, 0.527 off Piastri’s pace under the floodlights with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc fourth and Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli fifth.
French newcomer Isack Hadjar continued to impress in sixth place for Racing Bulls, with multiple world champions Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton seventh and eighth.
Red Bull’s four-time champion Verstappen, winner in Japan last weekend, is Norris’s closest rival with one point between them after three races.
Fernando Alonso suffered a steering wheel problem in his Aston Martin.
The largely unrepresentative first session, in conditions that will not be replicated in Sunday’s race,was packed with young drivers gaining experience.
Verstappen sat out that session as the team gave Ayumu Iwasa time in the car.
Luke Browning took Carlos Sainz’s Williams, and was 13th fastest, Dino Beganovic (14th) was at the wheel of Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari and Felipe Drugovich (16th) stepped into Fernando Alonso’s Aston Martin.
Ryo Hirakawa (17th) replaced rookie Oliver Bearman at Haas while Fred Vesti (18th) took George Russell’s Mercedes.
Antonelli was last on the afternoon timesheets after reporting a loss of power early on and returning to the garage for mechanics to work on the car.
Williams’ Alex Albon, fourth fastest, and Browning almost collided on track after a miscommunication while the latter was on a fast lap and the former going slower.
Williams were fined €7,500 ($8,490) for the misdemeanour.
Earlier on Friday, Carlos Sainz swerved a fine from the FIA for bad language in the Thursday news conference.
Source: espn.com