Formula 1 carnage unfolds on day two of testing as Ricciardo fires again

The second day of F1 testing turned in chaos over a loose drain cover, but Daniel Ricciardo once again proved he’s in for a big year.

AFP with Fox Motorsport

4 min read

February 23, 2024 - 7:16AM

Sergio Perez's Red Bull caught fire in the garage as the morning testing session was stopped due to a loose drain cover. Picture: Supplied

Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz set the fastest time in Formula One testing on day two, delivering a timely reminder of his talents ahead of his final season with the Italian giants.

Sainz, who will lose his seat to seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton at the end of 2024, clocked a best time of 1min 29.921sec on the Sakhir circuit.

Sergio Perez, taking over from defending champion Max Verstappen in the Red Bull, was 0.758sec behind with Hamilton third fastest, more than a second off the pace in his Mercedes.

For the second day in a row, Daniel Ricciardo stunned once again as he finished fifth on the leaderboard marginally behind former teammate Lando Norris.

Despite Sainz’s strong showing, the concensus among some of the other top drivers on the gird remained that Red Bull is still the clear team to beat ahead of the season-opening race.

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“My initial feeling is that Red Bull unfortunately remains quite a bit ahead,” Sainz’s Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc said.

“They are in such a great momentum at the moment,” added Mercedes’ George Russell.

“They started these new regulations on the front foot and they came here and have been solid ever since. So, they are definitely the favourites, definitely a step ahead of everybody else here in Bahrain.

“They’ve had a massive winter no doubt, but that was to be expected.”

When asked following Thursday’s running whether or not he was happy with the team’s progress, he said: “I’m in between. But this is just how I approach testing,” Ricciardo told reporters, per Autosport.com.

Promising signs early for Ricciardo. (Photo by Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images)

“Even if you see Sainz first today or something, there’s so many questions. Is it fuel? Is it engine? What time of the day? So you just never know.

“I think regardless of where we are on the time sheets, I think I’m just staying somewhere in the middle.

“I’m aware we’re not going to be probably a pole position next week. But I like to think we’re still in that midfield hunt.

“Obviously for us to start the season, if could find ourself in Q3 and points on a Sunday that’s a good start to the year.

“Whether we’ll get it or not next week, time will tell.

“But I think that’s the start and then as the season goes on, as we learn a bit more about the car and working together with a lot of new personnel, I think that’s where we can start to push the bar a little more.”

The morning session of testing came to an early halt when a drain cover on the track became loose.

Both Hamilton and Charles Leclerc hit the cover with the Ferrari of the Monegasque driver damaged to the extent that it needed a new floor.

The incident brought back painful memories for Ferrari. In Las Vegas last season, a manhole cover badly damaged the car of Sainz.

Ferrari go to work on the car of Charles Leclerc. (Photo by Andrej ISAKOVIC / AFP)

“It’s a very different car I see compared to last year in terms of how it behaves,” Sky Sports pundit Anthony Davidson said.

“Even into Turn 4, where the rear usually goes light on the exit, it’s pretty much there for him where he wants it.

“Little bit of understeer almost in the medium-speed of Turns 6 and 7.

“They are learning this car. It’s good in the slow speed, he’s got the direction change he needs and has got the front end.

“It seems when it builds up a little bit of speed, the car is almost reluctant to turn in. That’s a huge change and a huge turnaround from the balance the car had last year.

“This car looks like a race car. It’s the kind of balance you would want to take into the race.”

Meanwhile, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner refused to discuss the ongoing investigation into claims that he displayed “inappropriate behaviour” towards a female colleague.

Horner, 50, has categorically denied the accusation while Formula One chiefs said they want the issue resolved at the “earliest opportunity”.

Horner has continually denied the allegations. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images)

“As you are well aware there is a process going on which I form part of, and as I form part of that process, I am afraid I cannot comment on it,” Horner told reporters at a media conference.

Asked if there was a timeline for the investigation to be completed, he added: “I’m dreadfully sorry but I really can’t comment on the process or the timescale.

“I think obviously everybody would like a conclusion as soon as possible, but I’m really not at liberty to comment about the process.”

The new F1 season, which will feature a record 24 races, gets underway at the same Bahrain circuit on March 2.

Testing times:

1. Carlos Sainz (ESP/Ferrari) 1min 29.921sec (84 laps)

2. Sergio Perez (MEX/Red Bull) +0.758 (129)

3. Lewis Hamilton (GBR/Mercedes) +1.145 (123)

4. Lando Norris (GBR/McLaren) +1.335 (52)

5. Daniel Ricciardo (AUS/Racing Bulls) +1.440 (88)

6. Charles Leclerc (MON/Ferrari) +1.829 (54)

7. Lance Stroll (CAN/Aston Martin) +2.108 (96)

8. Esteban Ocon (FRA/Alpine) +2.140 (78)

9. Valtteri Bottas (FIN/Sauber) +2.306 (97)