Motorsports
Formula 1: Fertappen at 87 mm from Leclerc in the second test in Bahrain
Max Ferstappen was 87 millimeters faster in the second free test in Bahrain, Charles Leclerc was just behind.
The picture of competition at the top of F1 began to emerge when, in Shakir’s second free stage, Max Ferstappen and Charles Leclerc confirmed the winter performance of RBR and Ferrari – as did Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton.
As Max Ferstappen and Charles Leclerc with RB18 and Ferrari F1-75 at the top separated by 0.087 seconds, Lewis Hamilton struggled with the Mercedes W13 – which, in addition to porpoise and reversing problems, also had problems operating the DRS. This relegated the Brit to 9th place, 1.2 seconds off the Dutch champions.
With all drivers now setting fast laps with the softest of the three erasers, the second tests of Formula 1’s inaugural 2022 GP began to show the first signs of balance at the front. Both RBR and Ferrari have confirmed they are currently a step ahead and may be a short distance apart.
Of course, we don’t know the fuel levels each driver was running on these tests, but the fact that they all ran their first realistic ranking test simulation this year, and did it at night – which is representative of the ranking tests and the Bahrain race – on Afternoon These times give a good indication of the dynamics of each team.
George Russell has once again shown that he is in a better position when it comes to Hamilton fielding the Mercedes W13 – but even in Russell’s case this situation is far from satisfactory. The champions’ rookie closed by 9mm on Ferrari’s Carlos Sainte as the two were six tenths adrift of Ferstappen.
In about a second, the top six were closed by Fernando Alonso with the Alpine A522 and Valteri Botas, leaving a good and encouraging sign for Alfa Romeo’s progress with the new C43 – having lost the entire first phase of testing in Bahrain with engine performance issues . Alonso shows Alpine’s performance remains a mystery to be solved in tomorrow’s ranking tests.
Haas rebounded from his poor midday tests and this year finished eighth with Mick Schumacher – half a tenth ahead of Hamilton – and tenth with Kevin Magnussen. The American team thus confirmed the very good image of the winter tests and their big step forward this year.
McLaren, Alpha Tauri and Aston Martin, on the other hand, were not in the top ten, with Nico Hulkenberg – on his return after a year and a half as a replacement for Sebastian Vettel recovering from coronavirus – being a tenth slower than Lance Stroll.
The only incident of the second Test in Bahrain was the closure of Yuki Chunoda to Charles Leclerc in a fast Monegasque round – an event the judges will consider in the second year. The 3rd free test period begins tomorrow, Saturday (March 19th) at 2:00 p.m. and the qualification tests at 5:00 p.m.
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.
Max Verstappen has said he does not pay much attention to rumors that some teams may have possible technical advantages in their new Formula 1 power units.
It has recently been claimed that Mercedes and Red Bull have found a way to further increase engine power, while other teams are trying to eliminate this possible advantage. The FIA will meet with power unit manufacturers on January 22 to discuss the issue before the season starts.
Rumor has it that such optimization could produce around 15 hp, which is a significant figure at the beginning of a new era in technical regulations.
When asked whether Red Bull had an advantage in the pre-season, Verstappen replied:
“It’s impossible to know. Everyone is trying to do the best they can and I, especially me, have to focus on driving the car. I’m not here to be an engine engineer and explain all the details. Ultimately, this is a matter between the FIA and the engine manufacturers. I drive the car and I believe we always do everything we can to get the best out of the engine.”
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.
Red Bull Formula 1 team president Laurent Mekies believes the Bulls will be behind their rivals at the start of the 2026 season, given the production of their engines and new aerodynamic rules.
“We know it will be difficult for us, especially at the beginning of the season. I think we will fall behind our rivals, but we need to hold on for a few more months.”
“I hope we come back to the top, but it would be naive to think that Red Bull will be ahead right away. We will be behind at the start,” said Mekis.
Bulls will produce its engines in collaboration with Ford from 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.
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.
-
Ligue 13 years agoRenato Sanchez signed in Paris for five years
-
Europa League4 years agoIn transfer alert at Olympiakos for additions and concessions
-
Europa League4 years agoFenerbahce – Eintracht 1: 1: The Germans took 1st place in the Olympiacos group
-
Europa League4 years agoWithout Nainggolan and Samata, the 11th team from Antwerp
-
Europa League4 years agoEuropa League
-
Europa League4 years agoAtalanta announced the acquisition of Boga
-
Europa League4 years agoFears that Zapata will be out for 4 months
-
Premier League4 years agoExcept for the rest of January, Sean was injured