Motorsports
Surprise on day two in Bahrain, Haas faster with Magnussen
Kevin Magnussen could not have imagined a better return to Formula 1 after a year’s absence. The Dane completed his first year with the Haas VF-22 in the overtime given to the team at the end of the second day of testing in Bahrain.
Kevin Magnussen’s first year, replacing Russia’s Nikita Mazepin at Haas, could mean two things: either the traditional Formula One superpowers are hiding their true potential, or Haas has impressively reaped the rewards of its decision to write off entirely over the past year times the car from 2021 and this year designed entirely in white according to the new regulations, VF-22.
In any case, Kevin Magnussen’s first year is particularly impressive today – because, among other things, he didn’t work with the softest of all erasers, but with the least soft (C4). The Dane was three tenths faster than Carlos Sainte’s Ferrari, who also set his fastest lap with the same tires (C4).
The Dane’s fastest time was achieved in the extra time given to Haas by the FIA after the end of today’s regular testing, which left Magnussen alone on the track – because yesterday morning the team were delayed due to a transfer issue, which they weren’t his own fault. By then Magnussen, who also had a problem with the VF-22’s exhaust, was more than 1.3” faster than Mick Schumacher.
Perhaps indicative of the speed of Haas and Ferrari – who share the same powerplant, Maranello – is the fact that Max Ferstappen was 8 tenths behind Magnussen and half a second behind Saint, although the champion ended up doing a number of quick laps with the too C4 eraser.
Lance Stroll had the same tyres, making for a particularly encouraging fourth year for Aston Martin – fun for the team after Sebastian Vettel’s breakfast and the afternoon problem that left Stroll paralyzed in the pit lane.
Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes finished the top five drivers in the same second, slightly increasing the pace of the groundbreaking W13. They did, however, with the softer C5 eraser and only things didn’t go well for the Brit, who faced apparent setbacks all afternoon.
Just over a tenth behind Hamilton was Esteban Ocon in the pink Alpine A522, who had set the best time before the lunch break.
Meanwhile, three teams had serious problems today: Alfa Romeo stalled on the track, allowing Valteri Botas to complete just 25 laps (and 48 for Guanio Chou), while McLaren suffered a mechanical problem at the exit pits today after yesterday’s problems with the brakes.
But Williams had the biggest problem when a small disturbance in the rear of the FW44 caused a trackside fire. When firefighters arrived, the car’s rear suspension was damaged, forcing Grove’s team to end its ongoing testing very early.
The second and final three days of F1 2022 winter testing concludes tomorrow (3/12) at the Bahrain circuit, six days before the first race of the year – the same country’s free GP tests, which will take place at Shakir on 20th March.
The results of the second tests:
Sophia Jhon is a sports journalist and author. He has worked as a news editor for Sportish and is now a sport columnist for the same publication. Alberta’s professional interests lie largely in sports news, with an emphasis on English football. He has also written articles on other sporting topics.
After several significant personnel changes in the team, Max Verstappen has finally learned who he will be working with in the Red Bull pits for the new season.
At the end of last year, it became known that three key members of the four-time world champion’s headquarters had left. According to De Telegraaf, Jeff Ayton replaced Verstappen’s vehicle control engineer Michael Manning, who left the team after the 2025 season. He has previously worked with other Red Bull drivers and worked temporarily with Verstappen in Manning’s absence last year.
Verstappen’s former engine mechanic David Mart has moved to Audi and his replacement at Red Bull has not yet been determined. Performance engineer Tom Hart is also leaving the team; He will join Williams but will continue to work with the Milton Keynes-based team for a while.
Changes also occurred among mechanics. After Matt Culler moved to the position of Audi’s chief mechanic, Verstappen was replaced as his first mechanic by his twin brother John Culler. He is well known to Max, who has previously held a similar position on the other side of the Red Bull pits, working alongside Sergio Perez, Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda.
Despite rumors about the winter break, Gianpiero Lambiase will remain Verstappen’s race engineer for another season.
Source: Sport UA
Ruth Waterhouse is an author and sports journalist who writes for Sportish. She is known for her coverage of various sports events and her insightful analysis of sports-related news. With a passion for sports and a keen eye for detail, she has become a respected voice in the sports community.
Photos of the allegedly leaked Ferrari F1 team jerseys for the 2026 season have appeared on the internet.
The published photos show a red T-shirt with white inserts.
Ferrari will officially announce its color on January 23. At the same time, some sources reported that the design of the 2026 car should be “pleasantly surprising”.
Given that Ferrari and other teams have used darker shades of their primary colors (red in the Scuderia’s case) in recent years, the introduction of red and white team uniforms could signal a move towards a lighter color scheme.
The same idea is put forward in a video published on the Scuderia’s official account.
2026 FERRARI PRODUCTS? 👀 pic.twitter.com/ClhblugnUh
— La Gazzetta Ferrari (@GazzettaFerrari) January 18, 2026
It’s just a matter of time⏱️ pic.twitter.com/SyykHCiHcw
— Scuderia Ferrari HP (@ScuderiaFerrari) January 18, 2026
Source: Sport UA
Ruth Waterhouse is an author and sports journalist who writes for Sportish. She is known for her coverage of various sports events and her insightful analysis of sports-related news. With a passion for sports and a keen eye for detail, she has become a respected voice in the sports community.
Former Formula 1 champion Damon Hill has warned fans that the winner of the 2026 season could be a real surprise.
The current large-scale changes to the regulations are among the biggest in the history of the sport. They are expected to change the balance of power in the starting grid for a long time.
Hill is confident that the pundits have no idea who will start the new season with the best cars because the cars will be completely different, even in terms of handling.
Particular attention of the expert is drawn to Aston Martin, which was able to make a leap from the middle of the table after signing Adrian Newey from Red Bull.
Hill noted the following about Lando Norris’ chances of defending his title:
“All bets are off for this year. We don’t know who will be in uniform. You can’t automatically assume that pilots who performed well under previous regulations can now do it again.”
The cars are completely different. “50% of engine power is now provided by the electric battery, and this affects the way cars are controlled, their aerodynamics and their design.”
Hill added that the season could be a complete surprise:
“Yes, you can [ожидать смену эпохи в Ф1 в этом году]. We may see a complete surprise. It’s like Jenson Button beating Brown; Everyone was surprised because they understood the rules better.
“And the master of understanding the rules is Adrian Newey, who went to Aston Martin. He left Red Bull and Max Verstappen, Christian Horner also left that team. But he went to Aston Martin.”
“So we’re waiting for him to wave his magic wand over Aston Martin. And it could happen.”
Source: Sport UA
Ruth Waterhouse is an author and sports journalist who writes for Sportish. She is known for her coverage of various sports events and her insightful analysis of sports-related news. With a passion for sports and a keen eye for detail, she has become a respected voice in the sports community.
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