Valtteri Bottas was in 'marathon man' mode on Wednesday, finishing fastest and clocking in with a massive 143 laps under his belt.

The Finn just tore relentlessly through Mercedes' tyre and aero data programme as the German squad sought to get on top of its recent degradation and balance struggles.

Bottas edged out Sebastian Vettel, at least in terms of lap times as the Ferrari driver racked in just 63 laps following a hydraulic leak in the morning and a data acquisition issue in the afternoon which limited the Scuderia's track time.

Toro Rosso's Carlos Sainz took over from Dany Kvyat and secured third fastest, but the happiest man in the paddock was undoubtedly Stoffel Vandoorne who was spared any drama and finally succeeded in putting his McLaren through its paces.

Team boss Eric Boullier even labeled the trouble-free session the best test day McLaren has enjoyed since the beginning of the year!

Renault's Sergey Sirotkin was another long distance runner on Wednesday, accumulating 123 laps and ending the day 9th fastest, just ahead of Sauber's Pascal Wehrlein and Force India's Sergio Perez.

GALLERY: All the action from the Day 2 in-season testing at Bahrain

Keep up to date with all the F1 news via Facebook and Twitter

Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.

Recent Posts

McLaren: No regrets over timing of Norris pit stop in Sao Paulo GP

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has insisted that the squad has no regrets about their…

53 mins ago

Williams' Boutsen hoists the mainsail in Adelaide

On this day in 1989, Williams' Thierry Boutsen secured his second F1 win when he…

2 hours ago

Horner: Max 'answered critics' with epic Sao Paulo GP drive

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner hailed Max Verstappen’s sensational Sao Paulo Grand Prix victory…

3 hours ago

Sainz left puzzled by double crash drama in rainy São Paulo

Carlos Sainz was left scratching his head after a disastrous Sunday at the Sao Paulo…

4 hours ago

Alonso pushed through agonizing pain to complete Sao Paulo GP

Fernando Alonso braved both physical agony and mechanical challenges in the Sao Paulo Grand Prix,…

5 hours ago

Alpine double-podium in Brazil could deliver $30 million windfall

Alpine’s remarkable double podium at the São Paulo Grand Prix with Esteban Ocon and Pierre…

20 hours ago