The second pre-season training session in Bahrain on February 19-22 brought roughly the outcome as the first testing days in Jerez early February days. Mercedes continues to dominate the field, with Nico Rosberg setting the best time on the last training day over 1.5 seconds ahead of second placed Jenson Button (Mc Laren), and Mercedes by far completing the most laps over the three days. Ferrari did manage a net improvment compared to Jerez with Kimi Räikkönen setting the third time and the team managing far more laps than the first time around.

As for the Renault teams, it continues to be a mixed bag at best. Again (and again surprisingly), Caterham did quite well and has so far managed most laps of any Renault team in 2014, boding well for Swedish rookie Marcus Ericsson. As for Red Bull there seems to be no end to the problems, although Daniel Ricciardo managed the 7th best time during the last day. There are however still lots of issues it seems, both in software and mechanically, with reliability currently being close to zero.  Red Bull thus have high hopes for the last pre-season training session, again taking place in Bahrain over the next weekend. Whether the world champions will be ready in time for the start of what looks like a highly interesting season is no doubt the big question!

How much energy will be in it at the start of the season?