Charles Leclerc beats the heat but Max Verstappen has overall edge

Charles Leclerc managed to secure the top spot in the second practice session ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix, overcoming extreme heat conditions. However, it was Max Verstappen who recorded the fastest lap of the day during the first practice session, showcasing Red Bull's competitive edge.

In FP1, Verstappen clocked a time of 1:37.520s, narrowly beating Leclerc's FP2 time of 1:37.528s. The high track temperatures forced teams to adapt their strategies, with many drivers switching to soft tyres earlier than planned. Lewis Hamilton faced scrutiny for an incident involving another driver, while Lando Norris and Isack Hadjar also performed well, finishing third and fourth respectively in FP2.