Bahrain FP2: Piastri leads dominant McLaren 1-2 as rivals trail significantly

The floodlights blazed over the Bahrain International Circuit, painting the desert landscape in an artificial glow as Formula 1's second practice session for the 2025 Bahrain Grand Prix got underway. After a sun-baked FP1 session topped by Lando Norris, all eyes were on FP2 – the only practice session run in conditions truly representative of both Qualifying and the Grand Prix itself. What unfolded over the next 60 minutes sent a clear, and perhaps worrying, signal through the paddock: McLaren is blisteringly quick.

Oscar Piastri, often known for building momentum through a weekend, hit the ground running under the lights, setting a scorching pace to lead a commanding McLaren 1-2, leaving their rivals trailing by significant margins.

McLaren Lays Down an Ominous Marker

While Norris set the pace in the less representative FP1, it was his Australian teammate who stole the show in the evening session. As teams bolted on the soft C3 compound tyres for their qualifying simulation runs, the timing screens lit up papaya.

Norris initially threw down the gauntlet, posting a time a staggering 0.671s clear of Max Verstappen's early benchmark. But just moments later, Piastri crossed the line, going purple in the first sector and ultimately eclipsing his teammate by 0.154s with a stunning 1:30.505.

The truly eye-opening aspect wasn't just the 1-2, but the gaps. Piastri finished the session a full half-second clear of the nearest non-McLaren challenger, George Russell in the Mercedes. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) matched Russell's gap, while Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) was seven-tenths adrift, and reigning champion Max Verstappen (Red Bull) found himself eight-tenths off the pace. Lewis Hamilton, in his first year with Ferrari, was over a second slower than the lead McLaren.

Are McLaren running lower fuel or higher engine modes? It's the question rivals will be desperately asking themselves. If this pace is genuine, the Woking squad has started the Bahrain weekend in truly formidable fashion. Piastri later switched to hard tyres for race simulation runs, gathering crucial data after his headline lap.

Mercedes Shows Potential, But Chases McLaren

Mercedes endured a troubled FP1, with rookie Kimi Antonelli suffering a water pressure issue that severely limited his running. George Russell, having sat out FP1 for reserve driver Fred Vesti, had no laps under his belt heading into the crucial evening session.

They recovered well, with Russell slotting into P3 and Antonelli an impressive P4, sandwiching Leclerc. Russell even radioed in a slightly unusual request for a "spoiler" on his helmet to combat lift on the straights. Despite being 'best of the rest', the half-second deficit to McLaren highlights the challenge ahead for the Silver Arrows (or perhaps Teal Arrows, given their current livery). Antonelli's performance, despite the lost track time, continues to underline his potential.

Red Bull and Ferrari Search for Answers

Max Verstappen, also sitting out FP1, voiced early displeasure with his RB21, complaining over the radio about poor ride quality ("The ride is very bad") and brakes that "don't work" into the challenging final corner – a corner catching out multiple drivers. Although he briefly topped the timesheets early on his soft tyre run, he ultimately finished P6, eight-tenths behind Piastri. Teammate Yuki Tsunoda had a quiet session, languishing down in P18, nearly seven-tenths slower than Verstappen, raising questions about his comfort level in the car under these conditions.

Ferrari saw Charles Leclerc end the session P4 (after using a second set of softs, a potentially strategy-altering decision for later sessions) and Lewis Hamilton in P7. Hamilton, running a new floor upgrade designed to boost Ferrari's ground effect performance, initially ran wide on his first soft tyre flyer before setting his representative time. The transcript noted Ferrari's "quandary" – chasing race pace while potentially needing to consider the 2026 regulations, especially after costly disqualifications earlier in the season (implied China DSQs). The gap to McLaren suggests the new floor hasn't yet provided a silver bullet.

Midfield Mix: Bearman Shines, Aston Martin Struggles

The battle behind the leading teams looks typically intense:

Haas: Oliver Bearman, stepping in for FP2 after sitting out FP1, put in another stellar performance, placing his Haas an excellent P9. He looked comfortable and once again seemed to have the measure of teammate Esteban Ocon (P16), suggesting the team's recent floor upgrade is paying dividends.
Racing Bulls: Rookie Isack Hadjar continued his impressive adaptation to F1, slotting into P8 ahead of Hamilton and initially Verstappen. He had a near-miss with Nico Hulkenberg, prompting frustrated radio calls. Teammate Liam Lawson finished P12 after locking up on his medium tyre run.
Williams: Alex Albon briefly topped the timesheets early on and finished a strong P5, showing Williams' inherent pace. Carlos Sainz, in his first year with the Grove outfit after leaving Ferrari, got up to speed after missing FP1, finishing P11. Williams was fined after FP1 for failing to warn Albon about Sainz approaching on a hot lap.
Aston Martin: It was a difficult session for the Silverstone-based team. Fernando Alonso missed the early running and the initial soft tyre laps due to a steering wheel issue. When he did get a run, he could only manage P15, suggesting a lack of pace. Lance Stroll was further back in P19. Making Q3 looks like a challenge based on this showing.
Alpine: After a promising FP1 where Pierre Gasly was second, Alpine faded slightly under the lights, with Gasly P13 and FP1 stand-in Jack Doohan P17. They continue their search for their first points of the season.
Kick Sauber: Nico Hulkenberg finished P14, involved in the near-miss with Hadjar, while rookie Gabriel Bortoleto rounded out the timesheets in P20.

Key Session Notes & Incidents:

Track Evolution: As expected, the cooler temperatures and rubber laid down by F2/F3 made the track much grippier than FP1, with lap times tumbling.
Tyre Strategy Insights: Teams ran all three compounds (C1 Hard, C2 Medium, C3 Soft). Softs appeared good for one, maybe two push laps. Extensive long runs were conducted on mediums and hards, gathering vital data for Sunday's race strategy, which is expected to be a two-stop given the abrasive surface and temperatures. Verstappen managed 17 laps on a set of softs late on.
Lock-ups: Numerous drivers struggled with braking points, particularly into Turn 1 and the final corner. Norris, Russell, Albon, Piastri, and Lawson were all seen locking up, potentially leading to flat spots and vibrations. Track limits at the final corner could be a factor in Qualifying.
Alonso's Delay: The Spaniard lost valuable track time early on due to a steering wheel problem.
Post-Session Fun: Russell and Verstappen engaged in some light-hearted wheel-to-wheel jostling after the chequered flag, much to the amusement of Piastri observing behind.

Looking Ahead

While it's only practice, McLaren's dominant FP2 performance cannot be ignored. The massive gap they established in representative conditions puts them firmly in the favourites' seat heading into Qualifying. Red Bull, Ferrari, and Mercedes have significant work to do overnight to close that deficit. The midfield battle is incredibly tight, with Haas and Williams showing strong pace, and rookies Bearman and Hadjar impressing. Tyre degradation data gathered tonight will be crucial for strategists planning for Sunday's 57-lap Grand Prix.

Can anyone challenge McLaren tomorrow? Qualifying under the Bahrain lights promises to be a fascinating session.