Driver: Felipe Massa
Chassis / Engine: FW36-03 / PU106A Hybrid
Location: Bahrain International Circuit 5.412km
Objectives: Aero evaluations, race simulation and set-up work
Weather: Hot and sunny Maximum air & track temps: 29ºC / 37ºC

The second day of the Williams F1 teams Bahrain test would see Felipe Massa return to the car. Felipe would complete his installation lap returning to the pits with the team preparing it for more aero work. It would not be until over and hour and a half before Felipe would complete a timed lap being seventh fastest having completed just three laps. As he put in more laps he would improve to be fifth. Two hours into the day and Felipe was still fifth fastest with a time of 1m:39.630 having complete twenty nine laps, as the team continued with their aero work. Watching on the pit wall was team-mate Valtteri Bottas.

As the morning continued Felipe would find a few tenths setting a 1m:39.323 having completed thirty nine laps, as the morning session drew to a close The lunch time break would finish for the thirty minute lunch break. Quickest was Perez with a 1m:35.570, followed by Alonso and Button. Felipe would return to the track after waiting for a red flag to be cleared and would put in laps with two and a half hours remaining, having completed forty six laps. The Williams team was working through various race simulations trying to find the best way to get the most consistent lap times.

Two hours remaining and Felipe had completed seventy one laps and was currently seventh. Felipe would pit for a tyre change heading back out on medium tyres. Felipe would complete more laps as the team worked through their longer runs now having completed eighty seven laps. He would be forced to pit as a result of a red flag but would return to the track with half an hour remaining and would set the fourth fastest time with a 1m:36.692. This was his first time in the 1m:36s as the day drew to a close. He would pit again and again return to the track in the final fifteen minutes. He had completed ninety two laps on a trouble free day again for Williams. Felipe would cut a tenth off his best time setting a 1m:36.507, remaining fourth fastest. Felipe would finish the day having completed one hundred and two laps.

Rod Nelson, Chief Test & Support Engineer: We ran a similar programme today as yesterday. Felipe started the morning doing some mechanical and aero tests, before going on to some longer runs in the afternoon. We then finished with some performance runs this evening looking at some new systems on the car. It was nice to have a relatively trouble-free day with Felipe as he hasn't had the best of winter testing up to now, so it's good to see him with a smile on his face. We are now looking forward to concentrating on pushing the car for more performance over the final two days.

Felipe Massa: I think it was another important day for us. We are starting to understand the car a lot more. It was really my first full day driving, after only getting half a day last week, so I'm still looking forward to understanding more tomorrow and doing everything we can do to be as prepared as possible for the first race. I am happy with how we are working as a team and tomorrow will be another important day.

Williams will be back on track tomorrow, Saturday 1 March, with Felipe Massa in the Williams Mercedes FW36 for the third day of the test.

Driver 		Team 			Best Time Best / 
						  Total Laps
1  S Perez 	Sahara Force India	1:35.570  29 / 108
2  F Alonso	Scuderia Ferrari	1:35.634  37 / 122
3  D Ricciardo	Infiniti Red Bull	1:35.743  39 / 66
4  F Massa	Williams		1:36.507  95 / 103
5  J Button	McLaren Mercedes	1:36.901  5 / 52
6  J Bianchi	Marussia		1:38.092  72 / 75
7  L Hamilton	Mercedes AMG Petronas	1:39.041  57 / 89
8  J E Vergne	Toro Rosso		1:39.636  55 / 61
9  E Gutierrez	Sauber F1 Team		1:39.976  46 / 106
10 P Maldonado	Lotus			1:41.613  26 / 31
11 M Ericsson	Caterham F1 Team	1:42.516  3 / 55