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The comparison of the fastest laps set by Charles Leclerc, Lando Norris, and Max Verstappen during the second Bahrain pre‑season test reveals a clear hierarchy in both outright pace and sector‑by‑sector performance. Although all three drivers completed their laps on medium tyres and under similar conditions, the differences in their times show how each car behaved across the circuit’s varied demands.
Charles Leclerc produced the strongest overall lap, stopping the clock at 1:31.992, which placed him comfortably ahead of both Norris and Verstappen. Lando Norris completed his best lap in 1:32.871, while Max Verstappen finished slightly further back with a time of 1:33.109. Leclerc’s advantage of nearly nine‑tenths over Norris and more than a full second over Verstappen demonstrates how well‑balanced and confident the Ferrari appeared during this run.
The sector times reinforce this picture. In the opening sector, Leclerc set the fastest time with 29.255 seconds, gaining time immediately thanks to Ferrari’s strong braking stability and front‑end grip. Verstappen followed with 29.366 seconds, while Norris recorded 29.475 seconds, suggesting that Red Bull carried good speed into the corners but could not match Ferrari’s mid‑corner precision, and McLaren lost a little time in the early technical sequence.
Leclerc extended his advantage significantly in the second sector, where he completed the middle part of the lap in 39.958 seconds. This sector, which rewards traction and medium‑speed direction changes, clearly suited the Ferrari. Norris completed the same section in 40.444 seconds, and Verstappen in 40.691 seconds, meaning Leclerc gained almost half a second on Norris and more than seven‑tenths on Verstappen. Although Norris reached the highest speed in this part of the lap, his McLaren could not maintain the same pace through the long, sweeping corners. Verstappen struggled the most here, indicating that Red Bull had not yet found the ideal balance for this particular run.
In the final sector, Leclerc again set the benchmark with a time of 22.779 seconds, maintaining his advantage through the slow‑speed corners and traction zones that close the lap. Norris followed with 22.952 seconds, helped by strong top‑end speed, while Verstappen completed the sector in 23.052 seconds, losing further time in the final acceleration phases.
The track‑map dominance visualization confirms these trends. Leclerc was the quickest driver through the majority of the circuit, especially in braking zones, traction‑heavy exits, and medium‑speed sequences. Norris appeared strongest in the high‑speed sections and on the straights, where McLaren’s efficiency allowed him to reach the highest top speed of 329 km/h, just ahead of Leclerc’s 328 km/h. Verstappen also showed competitive straight‑line performance, but he consistently lost time in the corners, which prevented him from challenging the other two drivers on this lap.
Taken together, these laps show that Leclerc delivered the most complete performance, combining strong braking, excellent traction, and consistent cornering speed. Norris demonstrated impressive straight‑line pace but lacked the same level of stability in the middle sector, while Verstappen showed glimpses of Red Bull’s efficiency but could not match the others in the more technical parts of the circuit.