P1racenews AI automatic summary:
After the first and second free practice sessions in Bahrain, there were some question marks. Is Mercedes really that fast and should Max Verstappen be worried? For now, the data show that Verstappen certainly seems to be the benchmark in terms of race pace.
“During the second free practice session in Bahrain, Max Verstappen seemed to struggle as he only managed to secure the 6th place, trailing behind Lewis Hamilton by half a second, which was unexpected for many considering the pre-season hype around him. Verstappen himself acknowledged the issues with speed, especially in the third sector, attributing it to the setup choices focusing more on long runs rather than top speed. The difference in top speed became crucial, particularly in the long straight of the third sector, where Red Bull seemed to lack compared to Mercedes. Despite some strengths in the first sector aided by Red Bull’s strong DRS, the overall performance fell short on the long runs according to Mercedes as Hamilton expressed the need to improve their pace. In terms of consistency, Verstappen showcased solid performance on the soft compound during the long runs, contrasting with Hamilton’s struggles through traffic and Ferrari’s overall underwhelming performance compared to last season. The overall competitive landscape also included Fernando Alonso and Aston Martin showing promising signs, hinting at an intriguing upcoming race weekend.”
