Victor Martins led the way on Day 1 of the FIA Formula 2 in-season test at the Bahrain International Circuit, setting the benchmark time under the floodlights in Sakhir. The ART Grand Prix driver edged Campos Racing’s Josep María Martí by just 0.048s in the evening session to end the day on top.

Back to Bahrain

After a chaotic opening round in Melbourne – with a scorching Sprint Race and a rain-affected Feature – teams have returned to familiar territory for three days of valuable running at the Bahrain International Circuit. The 5.412km desert venue plays host to the only in-season test of the year, offering all 11 teams a chance to refine their packages ahead of the next race weekend, also set to take place in Sakhir.

With Hard and Soft Pirelli compounds available, the focus on Day 1 was clear: gather data, complete aero runs, and – when the moment was right – push for outright pace.

Morning – Stanek Surprises with Late Soft-Tyre Flyer

Invicta Racing’s Roman Stanek was the standout performer in the morning session, vaulting to the top of the timesheets with a late flyer on Soft tyres. His 1:44.789 effort came in the final minutes and was nearly two seconds clear of the next best, marking an impressive start to the Czech driver’s test.

Earlier in the session, Campos rookie Arvid Lindblad showed early promise by setting the pace in the opening exchanges, before teammate Martí and ART’s Victor Martins exchanged turns at the top. Jak Crawford briefly held P1 with a 1:47.032 before MP Motorsport’s Oliver Goethe became the first driver into the 1:46s.

As the session matured and teams began to prioritise longer runs, Martí’s 1:46.604 briefly put Campos back on top, before Stanek’s Soft-shod lap reshuffled the order decisively.

Morning Top 3:

1. Roman Stanek – Invicta Racing – 1:44.789

2. Josep María Martí – Campos Racing – 1:46.604

3. Oliver Goethe – MP Motorsport – 1:46.755

Afternoon – Martins Leaves It Late Under the Lights

The evening session began with Lindblad again wasting no time to get up to speed, clocking a 1:45.876 in the opening 10 minutes. Martí quickly bettered that with a 1:44.996, and the two Campos drivers traded fastest laps in an impressive display of pace.

Leonardo Fornaroli and Sami Meguetounif both had brief stints at the top as teams rotated through their programmes. With just over an hour to go, Fornaroli’s 1:44.911 raised the bar again before Martí fired back with a stunning 1:42.584, seemingly enough to secure P1 for the day.

But in the final minutes, Martins had other ideas. The Frenchman found a final burst of pace to post a 1:42.536, pipping Martí and ending Day 1 at the summit for ART Grand Prix.

Afternoon Top 3:

1. Victor Martins – ART Grand Prix – 1:42.536

2. Josep María Martí – Campos Racing – 1:42.584

3. Leonardo Fornaroli – Invicta Racing – 1:42.714

With two more days of running to come, and a number of teams holding back on outright pace runs, there’s still plenty to play for in Sakhir. For now, it’s ART and Campos who’ve drawn first blood – but in testing, the times only tell part of the story.

Image: FML