P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Piastri: "We’ll see how many sandbags come off" the Red Bull in Bahrain F1 qualifying
Piastri finished FP2 in fifth place, trailing Hamilton’s Mercedes by four tenths and narrowly leading Verstappen’s Red Bull, which seemed to prioritize race pace over sheer speed. He noted that the competition was closer than anticipated, especially with Red Bull possibly holding back some performance for qualifying and the race. Despite Red Bull’s apparent lack of speed, Piastri remained wary of their potential, waiting to see how they performed without holding back. The Australian driver acknowledged the strong showings from Mercedes and Alonso’s Alpine team, indicating a competitive field heading into the weekend. Reflecting on McLaren’s day, Piastri highlighted the team’s need to address pace inconsistencies amid challenging windy conditions at Sakhir. He remained cautiously optimistic about their overall standing and readiness for the upcoming challenges, recognizing the importance of refining their performance and strategies for improved results.
