Drain cover chaos hits F1 again as testing cancelled after Lewis Hamilton collision

Formula 1 endured another incident with a loose drain cover as the morning session on day two of testing was cancelled in Bahrain.

Lewis Hamilton, driving in the W15 for the first time ahead of his final season with Mercedes, ran over the loose cover on the edge of the kerb at turn 11.

While circuit officials inspected the damage, the session was suspended and then cancelled with one hour left.

Instead, the afternoon session on Thursday has been brought forward by one hour – to 11am (GMT) – and is set to last five hours.

It is a similar scenario to the inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix in November, with practice on opening night delayed for hours after Carlos Sainz ran over a loose manhole cover on the world-famous strip.

Fans saw just eight minutes of cars on track that day in Vegas, with practice resuming without spectators in the stands.

Circuit officials inspect the loose drain cover in Bahrain (Getty Images)

Spectators are present at testing on Thursday, with those who have a ticket for next week’s season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix permitted access to the circuit for the last two days of testing.

Charles Leclerc was quickest in the two-and-a-half hours of testing this morning, with Oscar Piastri second and Logan Sargeant third. Hamilton was only sixth-fastest.

The seven-time world champion will still be at the wheel for Mercedes this afternoon, though Sergio Perez will make way for Max Verstappen at Red Bull.

Verstappen, the favourite this season to claim his fourth straight title, was the fastest man on Wednesday.

From news to politics, travel to sport, culture to climate – The Independent has a host of free newsletters to suit your interests. To find the stories you want to read, and more, in your inbox, click here.