Rosanna Tennant
5 Live F1 reporter

Today the attention on Aston Martin has ramped up. Fernando Alonso is the man of the moment and this is the story line that people have wanted to see and this is a potential fairy tale

Image source, Getty Images

Haas' cost-saving pit wall is back. Team principal Guenther Steiner look even bigger in their mini hut now. Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen have both clocked times in the 1:36s while Steiner has been watching.

Opening time thrown into the mix by Lando Norris is a 1:34.633. What does the qualifying have in store for McLaren later on?

The two Haas driver, Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen, have both made an appearance on a set of medium tyres.

Sam Bird
Formula E driver on BBC Radio 5 Live

The other talking point is the issue surrounding Mercedes. It is like they have gone down a bad rabbit hole and they can't get out of it.

Image source, Reuters

The dreaded bouncing may have been eradicated for Mercedes this season but have the team built a car in the W14 that can challenge for the title this season?

"We found out we are a long way off," Lewis Hamilton said on Friday. "We kind of knew that a little bit in the test but it is a big gap.

The seven-time world champion added: "I am trying everything I can out there but it is what it is."

Hamilton ended second practice in eighth place, 0.636 seconds slower than pace-setting Fernando Alonso's Aston Martin.

"It is difficult for everyone and not where everyone in the team wants to be and not where they deserve to be," he said.

"Everyone continues to work so hard and is so courageous and thoughtful but we are just on the wrong track. We have to graft away and try to get ourselves on the right track."

Lando Norris has the track to himself on some soft rubber as McLaren send the 23-year-old out sharpish.

Doors open. Third practice is green.

Sam Bird
Formula E driver on BBC Radio 5 Live

It's exciting to see Fernando Alonso potentially fighting really at the sharp end for the first time for a long time.

Lance Stroll made his return to Aston Martin yesterday after injuring his wrist in a cycling accident and missing pre-season testing.

When asked to "compromise Turn One and have a better line in Turn Two" by his engineer over the team radio in second practice, the Canadian replied, "I can't man, I can't, with the hands."

Image source, EPA

Speaking to the Aston Martin's Twitter account following his practice runs, Stroll said it was "great to be back in the car."

He added: "The last 13 days since my accident has been pretty insane and just to think that I am here now is amazing.

"I didn't think I would maybe be driving 13 days ago but I'm feeling really good."

BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

Jack Nicholls, Formula E driver Sam Bird, Rosanna Tennant and Andrew Benson are waiting to take you through third practice.

Commentary is available on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra, the BBC Sounds app and at the top of this page using the audio icon.

Andrew Benson
BBC Sport’s chief F1 writer in Bahrain

Image source, Reuters

There is a sense of both disbelief and excitement around Formula 1 this weekend, and they both stem from the same thing - the apparently remarkable unfolding story of Fernando Alonso and Aston Martin. The disbelief comes from the fact teams making this sort of quantum leap in competitiveness - as this so far appears to be - from one season to the next is incredibly rare in F1.

The excitement comes from the prospect of Alonso finally getting a chance to race in a front-running car again. This is one of the legends of the sport. He's been in a kind of competitive purgatory for the last decade. He's notorious for making ill-advised career choices.

And yet here he is, at the age of 41, the fire still burning as bright as ever, apparently back at the sharp end at last. As a one-man story machine with charisma to burn, that prospect is enticing for the entire sport. Is it really true?

People still can't quite believe it. Surely, people are saying, when it comes to it, Red Bull will pull clear. All that can be said for now is that - however incredible it sounds - if that had been a normal Friday, on a normal race weekend, on the evidence so far, no-one would be doubting the idea that the car that had performed as well as Alonso's Aston on Friday was a genuine pole and victory contender.

Image source, Getty Images

Fernando Alonso isn't getting ahead of himself with thoughts of a possible pole position today following his session-topping performance in second practice yesterday.

"I am not thinking that high. I don't know exactly what position would be a good one for us," said the two-time world champion.

"It is not the same fighting for 12th, 14th as for the top five, because the pressure and adrenaline is different. So there are a lot of things we as a team have to bring together in this process.

"I expect we will unfortunately make some mistakes. I may maybe make some mistakes. It is a completely new team, new procedures.

"We have to be with the feet on the ground. The target has to be fighting for the championship in the long term; I don't think this year."

Andrew Benson
BBC Sport’s chief F1 writer in Bahrain

On the race-simulation times later in the second practice session, when teams run on heavy tanks to judge long-run pace, Max Verstappen was fastest, but again Fernando Alonso appeared competitive - running at the same pace as the Dutchman and quicker than Sergio Perez.

The caveat is that although the race runs are usually a better approximation of competitiveness than the one-lap pace, fuel loads are still uncertain to a degree.

The soft tyre was the preferred tyre for all drivers on the race runs, suggesting it will be used by most for the start of the race.

Image source, Formula 1 Twitter

The floodlights were turned on for second practice and the driver who impressed under the dark skies in Sakhir was Fernando Alonso.

Aston Martin's Alonso edged out both of the Red Bull drivers to top the leaderboard with a time of 1:30.907.

The 41-year-old was 0.169 seconds quicker than world champion Max Verstappen, with the second RB19 of Sergio Perez third fastest.

Carlos Sainz again found the going tough in Bahrain practice, ending the session in 14th after making an error on his fastest lap.

Image source, Getty Images

It was a frustrating day in the office for Spaniard Carlos Sainz.

"Trickier than expected, but it's only Friday." Sainz tweeted. "The balance was different and we were changing the car through the sessions to correct the main limitations.

"We'll analyse everything overnight and go at it tomorrow."

Image source, Formula 1 Twitter

Red Bull carried over their pre-season testing form into the opening practice session in Bahrain, topping the time sheets on day one through Mexican driver Sergio Perez.

Perez was 0.438 seconds quicker than the Aston Martin of Fernando Alonso, while his Red Bull team-mate Max Verstappen finished with the third-fastest time.

Carlos Sainz ended the hour bottom of the pack after a high-speed spin in the Ferrari. The Scuderia also had to deal with a rear wing issue on Charles Leclerc's car.

Welcome back, folks. The first Formula 1 Saturday of 2023 is upon us.

Third practice gets under way at 11:30 GMT.

The fight to qualify at the front of the grid kicks off at 15:00 GMT.

Live commentary of both session will be available to listen to on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra, the BBC Sounds app and at the top of this page using the audio icon.

Move over kids. Let the oldies show you how it's done.

First qualifying session of the 2023 season coming up after one more practice run.

Image source, PA Media