Formula 2: Three days of testing completed in Bahrain

Formula 2 was at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir for three days of testing from March 26 to 28. After the season opener in Melbourne — marked by a scorching-hot Sprint race and a Feature race cancelled due to rain — this test session was crucial for teams to gather essential data ahead of the return to competition in April on the same track.

Day 1: Victor Martins sets the pace

Victor Martins dominated the opening day with ART Grand Prix, setting a lap time of 1:42.536 in the afternoon session. The Frenchman edged out Josep María Martí (Campos Racing) by just 0.048 seconds. In the morning, it was Roman Staněk (Invicta Racing) who topped the timesheets with a 1:44.789, with Martí nearly two seconds off his pace.

In the afternoon, cooler temperatures and more refined setups led to a tightening of the field. For instance, Leonardo Fornaroli, who had clocked a modest 2:19.287 in the morning, climbed to third with a time of 1:42.714. At the end of the day, the top five — Martins, Martí, Fornaroli, Esterson, and Crawford — were all within half a second of each other.

Day 2: Gabriele Minì takes over

On the second day, Gabriele Minì from PREMA Racing posted a 1:42.488 — the best time of the test so far. The Italian edged Victor Martins by 0.095 seconds. This performance was even more impressive considering Minì had only set the eighth-best time (1:48.615) in the morning session. That morning was dominated by Richard Verschoor (MP Motorsport), who clocked a 1:46.475, followed by teammate Oliver Goethe, confirming the Dutch team’s strong form on this circuit.

The second day highlighted a tight battle between four front-running teams: PREMA, ART, Invicta, and MP Motorsport, with the top eight drivers separated by just 0.6 seconds in the afternoon. On the driver side, Frenchman Victor Martins once again demonstrated consistency, setting the second-fastest time after topping the previous day. His consistency, combined with ART Grand Prix’s apparent reliability, makes him a serious title contender this season. Invicta Racing’s drivers, Roman Staněk and Leonardo Fornaroli, also posted solid results, showing their team’s strong potential.

Day 3: Verschoor ends on top

On the final day, Friday, Richard Verschoor clocked the fastest time of 1:43.273 in the afternoon, edging Joshua Duerksen (AIX Racing) by just 0.121 seconds. The morning session was a standout for Van Amersfoort Racing, which achieved a surprise 1-2 finish with John Bennett (1:47.228) ahead of Rafael Villagómez (1:47.499). This was a major improvement from their more modest performances in previous sessions.

Overall, lap times were slightly slower than on previous days due to less favorable track conditions and a shift in team priorities toward setup work rather than pure performance. AIX Racing showed promising form, with Duerksen and Shields finishing second and fifth respectively in the afternoon, confirming their upward trajectory and outsider status for the next race.

Fastest lap per driver (all days combined)

Team summary after three days of testing

The Sakhir test sessions were more than just about setting fast laps. F2 teams used the time for long runs, race simulations, testing complex aerodynamic setups, and assessing the adaptability of their young drivers.

Standout teams included: PREMA Racing, showing strong pace with Minì setting the overall fastest time (1:42.488). ART Grand Prix also impressed, with Victor Martins setting the quickest lap on day one and consistently featuring at the top. Invicta Racing displayed great balance, placing both drivers in the top five of combined times. MP Motorsport made noticeable progress, with Verschoor topping the final day. Campos Racing earned a spot among the top five thanks to Martí’s strong afternoon performances.

Team performance

Total laps per team

When it comes to mileage, Van Amersfoort Racing led the pack with 441 laps completed — nearly 2,387 km over the three days. Invicta Racing followed closely with 436 laps (2,360 km), then ART Grand Prix with 397 laps (2,149 km). At the bottom, Rodin Motorsport completed just 239 laps, partly due to both cars being absent on the third day. The New Zealand team, as well as the #11 car from DAMS Lucas Oil and the #23 from TRIDENT, were excluded from day three following rule breaches during preseason testing in Spain.

Illegal data collection: one team and two drivers banned from final day

Rodin Motorsport’s two cars, along with those of Jak Crawford (DAMS) and Max Esterson (TRIDENT), were absent from the final test session in Sakhir. All three teams were penalized for illegally collecting aerodynamic data during February’s preseason test in Barcelona.

Following an investigation, the FIA found them guilty of installing air pressure sensors via holes drilled into the diffuser — a breach of Article 10.2a of the FIA Sporting Regulations and multiple clauses of the FIA Formula 2 Technical Regulations. As a result, they were fined €10,000 per car, received grid penalties at the Australian Grand Prix, and were banned from participating in day three of the Sakhir tests.

The Formula 2 championship resumes officially from April 11 to 13, once again at the Bahrain circuit. These tests may have lifted part of the veil on each team’s ambitions, but the real action will be on the track. The razor-thin margins between drivers suggest we’re in for a tight battle, where every corner, every straight, and every tyre strategy will be crucial.