P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Valtteri Bottas’s Cadillac losing a wing mirror on track and Pierre Gasly’s Alpine stopping on track triggered two red flags in quick succession on the second day of F1 2026’s first Bahrain test
On the second day of Formula 1 2026’s first Bahrain test, Valtteri Bottas’s Cadillac losing a wing mirror and Pierre Gasly’s Alpine stopping on track caused two quick successive red flags.
Sergio Perez, Bottas’s team-mate, triggered the first red flag when his car stopped on the back straight out of Turn 10 about an hour into the day, logging a total of 42 laps after the issue was resolved.
Bottas took over the Cadillac but his day was cut short after completing 18 laps when his mirror fell onto the track, prompting a third red flag for track cleanup.
Gasly’s Alpine added to the drama by stopping on the way to Turn 1, leading to the fourth red flag of the day before the lunch break to review FIA procedures.
At that point in the day, Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari held the top spot in lap times, followed by Lando Norris of McLaren and George Russell of Mercedes, with Gasly and Ollie Bearman’s Haas rounding out the top five.
