Formula 1 fired back into life under the searing Bahraini sun and later under the glowing floodlights of Sakhir as two contrasting free practice sessions kicked off the Bahrain Grand Prix weekend.
While FP1 featured high track temperatures, experimental set-ups, and a healthy helping of rookie action, FP2 provided a more telling picture of the true pecking order, with McLaren emerging as the team to beat.
Free Practice 1: Rookies Roll Out as Heat Hinders Grip
The weekend’s opening session was all about mileage, experimentation, and opportunity for a new crop of drivers. No fewer than six rookies and reserve drivers were handed the keys to current F1 machinery.
Among them, Luke Browning (Williams), Dino Beganovic (Ferrari), Felipe Drugovich (Aston Martin), Ryo Hirakawa (Haas), Frederik Vesti (Mercedes), and Ayumu Iwasa (Red Bull) all made FP1 appearances—some, notably, in championship-contending cars.
McLaren’s Lando Norris was quickest out the gates, setting a 1:35.674 on the medium compound before lowering the benchmark to a 1:35.249. The Bahrain International Circuit, however, wasn’t playing nice—track temperatures soared just under 50°C, leaving many drivers grappling with grip, particularly those on the hard tyres.
One of those was Racing Bulls’ Liam Lawson, who summed up his car’s balance with a candid “Shocking” over team radio. Nevertheless, Lawson steadily climbed the leaderboard, eventually placing 8th, just ahead of teammate Yuki Tsunoda.
A late soft tyre run saw a flurry of changes on the timing screens. Stake F1 went momentarily 1-2, with Nico Hülkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto leading the charge. But it was Alpine’s Esteban Ocon who ultimately grabbed P1 with a 1:34.184. Lawson, Doohan, and Tsunoda slotted in tightly behind—less than four-tenths covering the group.
Pierre Gasly, however, took things up a notch, dipping into the 1:33s before Norris reclaimed the top spot with a commanding 1:33.204.
After struggling through most of the session, Hamilton jumped from 18th to 3rd on a late soft-tyre flyer. Despite that, he remained over half a second off Norris’ pace—a gap that remains cavernous in the high-stakes world of F1.
Not everyone had a smooth session—Tsunoda found himself confused in pit lane, momentarily forgetting which team garage was his. The Red Bull driver was later summoned to the stewards for overtaking in the pit lane.
As for the rookies, their maiden outings varied at the bottom of the field:
- Browning (Williams) – 13th
- Beganovic (Ferrari) – 14th
- Drugovich (Aston Martin) – 16th
- Hirakawa (Haas) – 17th
- Vesti (Mercedes) – 18th
- Iwasa (Red Bull) – 19th
It’s important to note, however, that FP1 is rarely representative. Teams run varying fuel loads, engine modes, and aero configurations, prioritizing data collection over outright pace.
Free Practice 2: McLaren Dominate Under the Lights
The competitive picture sharpened as the sun dipped below the horizon and temperatures fell to more race-representative conditions.
Piastri delivered a clinical lap midway through the session to lead a McLaren 1-2, edging teammate Norris by 0.170s with a 1:30.964. George Russell trailed in third, nearly half a second adrift—a concerning gap for the Silver Arrows.
Behind them, Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc slotted into fourth, just ahead of Mercedes rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who continued to impress in his limited appearances. Hadjar backed up his solid FP1 with a stellar P6 finish in FP2, leading a pack that included Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton.
It was a tougher session for Tsunoda, who finished 18th in the Red Bull. However, Friday running for the Red Bull squad often involves detuned engine settings and long-run focus—clouding the picture of their true pace.
Fernando Alonso provided the session’s early drama, returning to the pits to replace a steering shaft—a rare sight in practice.
Driver Reactions: Insights from the Cockpit
Yuki Tsunoda admitted to a messy FP2:
“Today was a bit of learning; we ran different set-ups across the cars to see what the performance looked like. But overall, I would say the second session was a bit messy for me, with being able to put it together.
“There were some communication struggles on the radio… It’s only our fifth session together. Maybe Woody [his engineer] and I need to go out tonight and get to know each other—my Japanese English and his Scottish English!”
Max Verstappen, who sat out FP1 to give Iwasa track time, noted:
“The grip just wasn’t there. We’ve taken a different approach this Friday, so there’s still a lot to optimize heading into Saturday.
“As a team, we had a bit of a different approach to our Friday than our competitors, but the gap is quite big at the moment. We also have quite a bit of work to do in the long run, and we’re hoping that tomorrow will be more fun.:
Isack Hadjar, optimistic after his strong showing:
“We had a good FP2 today, especially after how hot the track was during FP1, where we could not gather any reliable information. FP2 made much more sense, and we looked strong at a one-lap pace.
“Generally, we had a good feeling in the car, but there’s still room for improvement, so there is much to look forward to tomorrow. The midfield is incredibly tight—it’ll come down to the smallest details in qualifying.”
Liam Lawson felt he didn’t extract everything:
“FP2 was more tricky for us weirdly because the track conditions in FP1 made it a difficult session. The balance in FP2 went away from us a little bit, but in general, I think the car is in a good place; it’s just fine-tuning. Tomorrow, we have a session in the day, which isn’t going to help us for Quali, but we’ll be taking what we can from this session ahead of then.
“I made a pretty big mistake in FP2, which dropped me down, so for all of us, it’s important to nail the lap. Otherwise, it’s very costly here. Right now in Formula One, the difference between a really good lap and a bad one can completely change your position, putting pressure on us out on track.”
Racing Bulls’ Racing Director Alan Permane summed up the day:
“We’re in the mix, and we’re optimistic. Isack’s happy with the car, Liam has a bit of work to do, but it’s not a true reflection on where he can be. We’re optimistic we can get the maximum out of the cars tomorrow and have them close to each other and well-positioned for the race.”
With a split Friday featuring blistering daytime heat and cooler nighttime conditions, it’s clear that teams are juggling multiple variables—tyre degradation, balance, grip levels, and set-up options. However, McLaren looked hooked up in both sessions and could be a serious threat under the lights come qualifying.
As for the rookies, Hadjar led the way with confidence and pace, while others gained valuable mileage. All eyes now turn to FP3 and qualifying, where the sandbags come off, and the stopwatch tells the true story.
Header Image: Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool
