Ticktum returns to the top in Bahrain F2 test
Dan Ticktum returned to the top of the timesheets in the afternoon session on the second day of the FIA Formula 2 pre-season test in Bahrain.

The Briton clocked a 1:42.185s session best to head a one-two for the Carlin squad with teammate and Red Bull junior Jehan Daruvala 0.434s adrift.
Ticktum, who topped the yesterday's opening session, hit the top of the times with 42 minutes of the three-hour outing remaining, before going on to improve on that time with a late flyer.
Race simulations appeared to be the focus for the afternoon with times visibly slower compared to this morning's running.
As a result, Christian Lundgaard’s 1:41.697s effort set midway through the earlier session remained the fastest time of the day and the entire three-day test so far.
Ticktum’s benchmark in the afternoon was enough to put him fourth fastest overall for the day behind Lundgaard, Bent Viscaal (Trident) and Marcus Armstrong (DAMS).
UNI Virtuosi driver Guanyu Zhou was third fastest in the afternoon, some 0.929s adrift of Ticktum, while Guilherme Samaia in the #15 Charouz Racing entry was fourth and the last driver within a second of the outright pace.
UNI Virtuosi ensured it had both cars in the top five with Felipe Drugovich in fifth ahead of Campos Racing’s Ralph Boschung.
Late entrant for the test Richard Verschoor enjoyed a spell at the top of the timesheets midway through the session before ending up seventh, driving for MP Motorsport.
Gianluca Petecof recovered from causing a red flag stoppage in the first hour to rejoin the action in the final hour, where he went on to put his Campos Racing entry in eighth spot.
Monday pacesetter David Beckmann (Charouz Racing) and Viscaal rounded out the top 10.
After topping the morning action, Lundgaard wound up in 12th position, while both Prema Racing entries of Robert Shwartzman and current FIA Formula 3 champion Oscar Piastri were outside the top positions in 15th and 21st respectively.
The test was punctuated by two more brief red flag stoppages in the final hour instigated by Liam Lawson and Zhou, who both stopped on track.
F2 testing continues tomorrow with the final day of action set to begin at 6am GMT.
FIA F2 Bahrain Test - Tuesday Afternoon Session
Pos | Driver | Team | Time | Laps |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Dan Ticktum | Carlin | 1:42.185 | 36 |
2 | Jehan Daruvala | Carlin | 1:42.619 | 36 |
3 | Guanyu Zhou | UNI-Virtuosi | 1:43.114 | 30 |
4 | Guilherme Samaia | Charouz Racing System | 1:43.129 | 40 |
5 | Felipe Drugovich | UNI-Virtuosi | 1:43.194 | 34 |
6 | Ralph Boschung | Campos Racing | 1:44.320 | 25 |
7 | Richard Verschoor | MP Motorsport | 1:44.335 | 20 |
8 | Gianluca Petecof | Campos Racing | 1:44.569 | 10 |
9 | David Beckmann | Charouz Racing System | 1:44.640 | 19 |
10 | Bent Viscaal | Trident | 1:44.879 | 42 |
11 | Lirim Zendeli | MP Motorsport | 1:45.052 | 21 |
12 | Christian Lundgaard | ART Grand Prix | 1:46.913 | 45 |
13 | Théo Pourchaire | ART Grand Prix | 1:47.429 | 47 |
14 | Jüri Vips | Hitech Grand Prix | 1:47.497 | 47 |
15 | Robert Shwartzman | PREMA Racing | 1:47.614 | 33 |
16 | Marcus Armstrong | DAMS | 1:47.900 | 44 |
17 | Alessio Deledda | HWA RACELAB | 1:47.904 | 30 |
18 | Liam Lawson | Hitech Grand Prix | 1:48.814 | 39 |
19 | Roy Nissany | DAMS | 1:48.974 | 42 |
20 | Marino Sato | Trident | 1:49.501 | 30 |
21 | Oscar Piastri | PREMA Racing | 1:49.824 | 32 |
22 | Matteo Nannini | HWA RACELAB | 1:50.445 | 18 |
Read Also:
Related video

Previous article
Lundgaard fastest on second morning of Bahrain F2 test
Next article
Armstrong fastest on final morning of Bahrain F2 test

About this article
Series | FIA F2 |
Event | Bahrain March testing |
Drivers | Dan Ticktum |
Teams | Carlin |
Author | Tom Howard |
Ticktum returns to the top in Bahrain F2 test
Trending
F1’s feeder series champions – hits and misses
#ThinkingForward with Bruno Michel
Remembering Anthoine Hubert
Was Formula 2’s radical format switch a success?
Going into the 2021 Formula 2 season the biggest talking point wasn’t about any drivers or teams, but the new race weekend format. Created partly out of financial necessity but also to spice up the action, the Bahrain opener provided a snapshot of the positives and negatives to come.
Why 2021 is make-or-break for the driver F1 needs
He was tipped for glory in FIA Formula 2 last year, but was hampered by reliability woes at inopportune moments. Guanyu Zhou knows he won't get too many more chances if he is to become China's first F1 driver, with fierce competition within the ranks of Alpine's junior stable
Ranked! Carlin's greatest F1 graduates
Carlin has helped guide enough drivers to Formula 1 to fill out an entire grid, plus a handful of reserves, to create a remarkable alumni list. With Yuki Tsunoda set to join that group, Motorsport.com has ranked its graduates to grace the grand prix scene...
How Mick Schumacher earned his Haas F1 chance
Michael Schumacher may have won seven Formula 1 titles, but he didn't even compete for a crown at the second tier. Son Mick put that right in 2020, and proved to Ferrari that he was deserving of a shot at motorsport's elite category in 2021…
How Aitken’s fortunes turned around for his shock F1 chance
As a consequence of George Russell's step up to Mercedes to cover for the COVID-positive Lewis Hamilton, Jack Aitken will make his Formula 1 debut for Williams at the Sakhir Grand Prix. Long on F1's peripheries, Aitken finally has a chance to shine.
How F1's foundation has responded to the coronavirus threat
While Formula 1 felt the public brunt of the coronavirus pandemic, the virus also put the Formula 2 and Formula 3 categories on hiatus. But their roles in feeding F1 with drivers meant their survival was crucial to their parent series' long-term future
The year Leclerc fully revealed his star status
In the latest feature in our series looking back on the 2010s, we revisit Charles Leclerc's sensational Formula 2 season - where he strode among on-track highs and lows, as well as tragedy away from motorsport, to earn a place on the Formula 1 grid
From Formula 1 exiles to part of the family
It wasn't long ago F2 drivers couldn't even get passes to the F1 paddock. Now, as Ross Brawn and Bruno Michel explain, attitudes are totally different