Mar 6

Mar 6 Liam Lawson tops FIA Formula 2 pre-season test in Bahrain

Liam Lawson has come out on top after three days of FIA Formula 2 pre-season testing in Bahrain.

Liam Lawson on-track at the FIA Formula 2 pre-season test in Bahrain. *(Formula Motorsport Limited)*

The Formula 2 field completed three days of running at the Sakhir circuit, with the final session interrupted by a sandstorm.

Lap times were mixed across the three days, as teams varied their testing programs and sessions were interrupted with multiple red flags and stoppages.

Day One

Jehan Daruvala was fastest on day one with a time of 1:42.074.

Logan Sargeant was the first to set a competitive time in the 2022 FIA Formula 2 season, ahead of Marino Sato and kiwi Marcus Armstrong.

Countryman Liam Lawson took control of the session around midway and didn't relinquish the lead, topping the morning session ahead of Felipe Drugovich and Sargeant.

When running resumed in the afternoon it was Drugovich who settled in first, sitting at the top of the timesheets ahead of Roy Nissany.

After two red flag stoppages, Lawson returned to the top of the pack, but PREMA drivers Jehan Daruvala and Dennis Hauger were running a fast program and took control of the session.

It was only Aussie Calan Williams who could separate the pair, finishing second-fastest behind Daruvala.

Day Two

Liam Lawson was the first driver to go under the 1:42 barrier on day two, setting the overall fastest time of the pre-season test.

Juri Vips endured three red flags to set the fastest time in the morning ahead of Richard Verschoor.

A number of teams ran qualifying simulations in the afternoon session, only interrupted when Marcus Armstrong clipped the wall at turn eight.

The day ended with Lawson finishing on top ahead of Ralph Boschung and Théo Pourchaire.

Day Three

In a session mainly dominated by long runs, Felipe Drugovich and Clément Novalak completed fewer than 30 laps, topping the timesheets with a program that went against the grain.

Drugovich set the fastest time of 1:44.911 in the morning session before the final on-track preparations for the 2022 season were cancelled due to a sandstorm over the Sakhir circuit.