The blistering heat of the Sakhir Circuit bore witness to a thrilling day of intense racing as Gabriele Mini of PREMA Racing blazed his way to setting a new benchmark on the second day of in-season testing. With an impressive time of 1:42.488, Mini outpaced the competition, including Victor Martins of ART Grand Prix, who had been dominating earlier in the day.
The morning session kicked off with a battle for supremacy on the track. Richard Verschoor of MP Motorsport initially seized the lead with a lap time of 1:46.475. The competition was fierce, as drivers like John Bennett and Rafael Villagómez of Van Amersfoort Racing, Alexander Dunne of Rodin Motorsport, and Joshua Duerksen of AIX Racing all pushed the limits in a bid for the top spot. Verschoor’s formidable effort was closely matched by his teammate, Oliver Goethe, who trailed him by a mere 0.174 seconds, creating a powerful MP Motorsport duo that led the field by a significant 1.3 seconds. Duerksen captured third, Bennett took fourth, and Martins rounded out the top five, setting an electrifying pace for the day.
As the afternoon session unfolded under the dazzling floodlights, drivers were eager to improve their times. Leonardo Fornaroli from Invicta Racing initially claimed the fastest lap with a striking 1:45.626, later bettering it to 1:43.832. Duerksen continued to impress, clocking 1:43.143 for DAMS Lucas Oil, with teammate Kush Maini securing third. It was a fierce contest as Fornaroli reclaimed the fastest time with a lap of 1:43.011, only for Josep María Martí of Campos Racing to dramatically snatch the lead with a groundbreaking time in the 1:42s.
However, the final thrilling twist of the day came when Gabriele Mini clinched the top position with his sensational 1:42.488, ensuring PREMA Racing’s dominance. “It’s an incredible feeling to be at the top,” Mini stated after the session. “The team has done an outstanding job, and the car felt fantastic on the track.”
Victor Martins narrowly missed out on the top spot, finishing just 0.095 seconds behind Mini. Reflecting on his performance, Martins commented, “We were quick today, and I feel confident about our pace going into the final day. There’s still more to come, and we’re ready to give it our all.”
Invicta Racing’s Roman Stanek and Fornaroli rounded out the top four, while Verschoor took a commendable fifth place. “It’s been a tough but rewarding day,” said Stanek. “Everyone is pushing hard, and it’s great to be at the sharp end of the field.”
The top ten were completed by Martí, Goethe, Miyata, Crawford, and Sami Meguetounif.
Anticipation is building as testing reaches its climax with the final day scheduled at 12:30 local time. Teams and drivers are poised to push the boundaries further, extracting every ounce of performance and gathering vital data for what promises to be an exhilarating racing season ahead.