A green flash
Fernando Alonso ended the second free practice session of the Bahrain Grand Prix with the best time of 1’30″907, the only one to break the 1’31” barrier with Max Verstappen 169 thousandths away, just two thousandths quicker by boxmate Sergio Perez. Pedro De La Rosa, Aston Martin team ambassador, said that right now it’s really difficult to even try to turn off the enthusiasm which envelops Lawrence Stroll’s team, a real surprise in these very first moments of the season.
Leclerc’s skepticism
According to Charles Leclerc, Aston Martin will not be as competitive today in Qualifying when everyone will definitively drop the mask in terms of fuel load and power unit mapping: “I think Aston Martin won’t be as quick in qualifying on Saturday – the thought of the Ferrari driver – let’s wait and see. I don’t know of course if it will be like this, it’s just what I think”. According to what filters from the pit lane at least in PL1 Fernando Alonso in the short runs took to the track with about 9 kg of fuel less than the Red Bulls.
Hulkenberg margin index for Ferrari
The fact that in PL2 Nico Hulkenberg entered fifth position just nine thousandths behind Charles Leclerc suggests that Ferrari really has so much leeway in its pocket to pull out currently due at the power unit mapping level. The Monegasque paid 460 thousandths to Fernando Alonso in the second free practice session, but today in Qualifying just like a year ago, Ferrari could get its claws out.
Long run stronghold of Verstappen
Raising the power and torque delivered by the Maranello engine could also have contraindications on the rear axle as Federico Albano underlined during the analysis, but there is little doubt that the SF-23 will be the protagonists in today’s Qualifying. Max Verstappen is vulnerable, especially on the flying lap, then keeping up with the Dutchman’s pace will be difficult for everyone, even for Aston Martin.
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