2021 Bahrain F1 pre-season testing - Day 2 - As it happened

CLICK HERE TO FOLLOW CRASH.NET’S LIVE COVERAGE OF THE SECOND DAY OF FORMULA 1 PRE-SEASON TESTING IN BAHRAIN 

Formula 1 pre-season testing continues as day two of testing at the Bahrain International Circuit gets underway.

Max Verstappen topped day one in an encouraging day for Red Bull as he completed 139 laps.

Reigning champions Mercedes endured a troublesome day with Valtteri Bottas spending the majority of the morning session in the garage after encountering a gear shift problem.

For 2021, teams only have three days of testing ahead of the new season which kicks off at the Bahrain International Circuit on March 26-28.

All teams except Mercedes have completed a shakedown of their new 2021 challengers ahead of the test, and with just three days of running available to everyone, getting significant mileage completed is more important than ever before.

Testing usually takes place in Barcelona but F1's decision for it to take place in Bahrain this year should give teams the perfect weather conditions to put their new cars to the test.

With the 2021 cars being a continuation of last year's machinery, F1 agreed three days of testing is sufficient as a way to save costs and give teams a longer winter break after the 2020 campaign finished in December.

Like in previous years, testing will be split into two sessions per day, with most teams opting to split the workload between its two drivers.

Who’s driving on Day 2 of the test?

Mercedes

Saturday: Lewis Hamilton (AM), Valtteri Bottas (PM)

Red Bull

Saturday: Sergio Perez

McLaren

Saturday: Daniel Ricciardo (AM), Lando Norris (PM)

Aston Martin

Saturday: Sebastian Vettel (AM), Lance Stroll (PM)

Alpine

Saturday: Fernando Alonso

Ferrari

Saturday: Carlos Sainz (AM), Charles Leclerc (PM)

AlphaTauri

Saturday: Yuki Tsunoda (AM), Pierre Gasly (PM)

Alfa Romeo

Saturday: Antonio Giovinazzi

Haas

Saturday: Nikita Mazepin (AM), Mick Schumacher (PM)

Williams

Saturday: Nicholas Latifi

What tyres can teams use?

All five tyre compounds are available to use during the three days of testing.

If you see a team go fastest on the C5 tyre then don’t be too fooled given the softest compound of tyre is never used in Bahrain, more often at street circuits like Monaco.

Here’s what’s on the menu for #F1 tyre testing from tomorrow in Bahrain: a feast of five different 2021 compounds and a prototype! Buon appetito. #Pirelli #F1Testing #Fit4F1 pic.twitter.com/lDFjXOuFt4

— Pirelli Motorsport (@pirellisport) March 11, 2021