Leclerc Leads Bahrain Practice
Charles Leclerc Puts Ferrari Fastest in Bahrain GP Practice Amid Ongoing Team Struggles
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Key Points
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Hamilton’s session included a near-incident when Gabriel Bortoleto had to avoid his slowly moving Ferrari. Hamilton said he could not see through his right-hand mirror, and the incident was referred for investigation.
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Ferrari’s first-practice performance was mixed: a lower-downforce setup and the dirty, low-grip track hurt its single-lap pace, while its race simulations looked consistent until traffic and tyre degradation affected the closing laps.
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Ferrari’s engine gap has persisted despite ADUO 1 and ADUO 2, and the team is considering a conceptually different power unit for 2027 in hopes of reducing the deficit.
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Vasseur said Ferrari’s chassis advantage over rivals may have narrowed or disappeared, but cautioned that the shortfall cannot be attributed simply to either the chassis or the engine.
Charles Leclerc put Ferrari fastest in second practice for the 2026 Bahrain Grand Prix at Sepang, posting a time of 1:37.528 and edging Red Bull's Isack Hadjar by 0.099 seconds grandprix.com. Lando Norris finished third while Lewis Hamilton came fifth, more than three-tenths back, as Ferrari showed encouraging pace despite persistent questions about the car's power unit and chassis balance.
Friday's session order offered only a tentative guide to grid strength, with changing grip levels and tyre wear complicating direct comparisons scuderiafans.com. Ferrari's performance improvements from the opening session were welcome, though both the team and its drivers acknowledged deeper structural issues beyond the engine deficit that require urgent attention before qualifying and Sunday's race.
Hamilton Flags Engine Gap, Chassis Questions Remain
Lewis Hamilton has identified Ferrari's power unit as the main weakness holding back the SF-26 scuderiafans.com. However, Charles Leclerc pushes back, saying the car's chassis and aerodynamics also need significant improvement. Fred Vasseur acknowledged the complexity, cautioning that Ferrari's shortfall cannot be pinned to either the engine or chassis alone.
Ferrari's engine deficit has persisted despite two earlier upgrade packages—ADUO 1 and ADUO 2—prompting the team to consider a conceptually different power unit for 2027 scuderiafans.com. The Maranello squad hopes a more fundamental redesign will narrow the gap to its rivals, though no timeline has been confirmed for the new concept's introduction.
Mixed Friday Results Mask Consistency Issues
Ferrari's first practice showed a fragmented picture: a lower-downforce setup and the Sepang circuit's dirty, low-grip surface hurt single-lap pace scuderiafans.com. Race simulations looked steady until traffic and tyre degradation disrupted the closing laps, revealing vulnerability under real-world conditions.
The improvements by second practice suggested the team found gains through setup work and tyre management grandprix.com. Whether those gains hold through qualifying and the race remains uncertain, especially if the power unit deficit widens on high-speed circuits or in overtaking attempts.
Hamilton's Mirror Issue Leads to Incident Investigation
A near-miss during second practice sent Gabriel Bortoleto scrambling to avoid Hamilton's slowly moving Ferrari on track scuderiafans.com. Hamilton said he could not see through his right-hand mirror at the moment, explaining the positioning. Race stewards referred the incident for investigation.
Drivers Back Vasseur Despite Replacement Talk
Both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc publicly backed team principal Fred Vasseur on Friday, rebuffing speculation about his potential replacement sportstar.thehindu.com. Hamilton argued that Ferrari's wider structure—not one individual—deserves scrutiny when assessing performance, deflecting blame from Vasseur alone.
Leclerc said he avoids social media and prefers the team focus entirely on track results flashscore.com. Both drivers' public endorsements underscore unity within the garage, even as the team grapples with fundamental competitiveness gaps heading into the season's early races.
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