Rookie Piedro Piquet fastest on Day 1 of FIA Formula 2 pre-season test

Piedro Piquet was fastest in day 1 of the FIA Formula 2 pre-season test in Bahrain, ahead of Nobuharu Matsushita and Jehan Daruvala.

Piquet was the first top to the time sheets, setting the time of 1:44.331 to start the first FIA Formula 2 track day of 2020.

With most teams focusing on short-runs and installation work, there was little on-track action to start with, as Nobuharu Matsushita moved to the top spot.

Louis Delétraz overtook his former teammate, holding the top spot at the end of the morning session.

He resumed his form in the day’s second session, setting the opening lap before being surpassed by Callum Illott’s efforts.

After Nikita Mazepin spun on track, bringing out the red flag, it was kiwi Marcus Armstrong’s turn to set the fastest time, before Delétraz resumed his lead once more.

Marcus Armstrong briefly ran first in his FIA Formula 2 debut, before finishing the day fifth fastest.

With the field now focusing on long runs, Delétraz’s lead looked unassailable.

As the sun came down and teams moved to faster work, Matsushita went quickest, and Armstrong moved up into third. Daruvala moved into second and Sean Gelael was into third as things started to get competitive.

Luca Ghiotto stopped on track, bringing out the red flag, and when the green flag fell it was Piquet who would move to the top of the field, ahead of Matsushita and Daruvala. Kiwi Marcus Armstrong was in fifth at the end of the day’s running.