There is talk of a first Red Flag during the second day of testing in Bahrain. It was a big one this time, as Nicholas Latifi saw his Williams go up in flames. The damage to the FW44 is massive.
Latifi had only 12 laps left on the clock during Friday morning's session at the Bahrain International Circuit, but it doesn't look like he's going to add many more laps to that total. The Canadian saw his rear brakes go up in smoke during his lap, and in an attempt to get more air into those brakes, he ended up coming to a stop along the track in a spin.
Flames at Williams
It started with small flames at the rear of the car, but soon the flames became larger and larger. The left rear tyre even gave out, causing Latifi to spin and come to a stop. After this, there was also trepidation on the part of the rescuer who went to put out the fire, as the same tire also burst at that point due to the heat.
Although the fire was extinguished fairly quickly, the damage to the rear of the Williams is enormous. The FW44 will have to undergo a substantial repair and it is questionable whether Latifi will be able to go out today. It's sour for the Canadian, who was also sidelined on Thursday as that whole day was for Alexander Albon.