The teams faced the evening session, and the last of the preseason tests in Baréin, with a very different vision than the morning, in which they limited themselves to testing different monoplays adjustments. Given the planned absence of Spanish pilots, all the foci were placed in Lewis Hamilton, however, against all prognosis, Fernando Alonso stole all his attention.
The surprise of the day was at Aston Martin’s box. The Silverstone team announced changes in its plans for the last day due to an indisposition of Lance Stroll. Contrary to the established, Alonso, who was not well at all, climbed to the AMR25 in the morning, leaving the second half of the day to Canadian.
However, less than 70 minutes to finish the session, the green team jumped with a new surprise; Stroll was unable to continue with the session and the ’14’ took his place. This caused them to lose crucial time by having to adapt the car to counterreloj.
Esteban Ocon was the first to jump to the track, a few minutes later Yuki Tsunoda and Pierre Gasly followed, all with the C3. However, before they could complete representative turns for their equipment, the red flag notice jumped for an inexplicable reason: a bus on the track.
They have been some preseason test that have left several surprises; A surprising rain in Baréin, a blackout of light, the outbreak of the cabin of the test director, a bird on the track and the surreal raid of a bus.
Once the session was resumed, the first to mark time was Gasly with a chrono of 1.30: 657, something below the Leclerc reference in the morning (1.30: 811) and far from the time of Pole de Max Verstappen in 2024 (1.29: 179), which implied that there was still margin of improvement.
The first half was marked by the wind, the short batches, exit tests and changes of monoplays adjustment. Among the most prominent events was the problem with the Red Bull car, which caused the Dutch to miss the first hour. Bad matter for those of Milton Kenyes, which is the team that has most doubts for reliability problems and the few kilometers shot in the ‘tests’.
Once the worldwide tetracampeon could go to the asphalt, the sensations were not too encouraging. Perhaps agitated by the failures in his car, he suffered in the first turns for the subviring of his RB21.
Beyond that, at nightfall in Sakhir reappeared Alonso and the teams began to be tested in career and classification simulations. Russell (Mercedes) signed the fastest time of the day in the final moments, followed by Verstappen (Red Bull) that trumpered and failed to show much regularity. Below a great Albon (Williams) and Oscar Piastri (McLaren), followed by Gasly (Alpine), which showed that he has arguments to fight. Finally, Hamilton confirmed that he has not yet taken the measure to Ferrari. Fernando Alonso finished in 16th place and completed 80 stable turns for the team, in which he tested different compounds to save the dishes in Aston Martin.
Although the results of the preseason tests must be taken between tweezers, since the ‘set-up’ and the amount of fuel chosen can give rise to deception, if it has been determined that McLaren, Ferrari, Mercedes and Red Bull have arguments to be ahead.
In the midfield, Albon confirmed that Williams has made an important leap with respect to 2024, inviting to think that Carlos Sainz’s team can be the fifth force or fourth in some races. Although Haas, Alpine, Racing Bulls, and even Sauber, will not put the simple things.
For his part, Aston Martin, has not reflected the regularity that he needs and the Spanish was clear with that aspect when asked at a press conference: «The car is better That last year, there are good things and there are also bad things. Everything will be very tight and we have to do weekends Perfect to enter the points ».
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