P1racenews AI automatic summary:
McLaren duo Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri were expected to fare well in Bahrain – and they duly obliged in a crucially representative FP2.
McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris showed their dominance during the Bahrain Grand Prix weekend’s practice sessions, hinting at a strong performance for the race ahead. Piastri’s impressive soft-tyre, low-fuel lap edged out Norris by 0.154s, setting the pace for their F1 rivals. McLaren’s advantage in cooler track conditions suggests they could secure a front-row lockout and potentially a one-two finish on Sunday. Despite initial promising runs from other teams like Ferrari and Mercedes, McLarens emerged as the frontrunners, with drivers such as Leclerc and Hamilton falling behind in comparison. The session saw unexpected struggles for top-tier drivers like Verstappen, who faced handling and brake issues, further highlighting McLaren’s standout performance in Bahrain.
