2013 Gulf Air Bahrain GP, Practice Two: Kimi Raikkonen underlines Lotus threat in desert...

Lotus shown impressive turn of speed to outpace Bulls and Ferraris

Kimi Raikkonen: Set the pace for Lotus in P2

Sebastian Vettel was outpaced by team-mate Mark Webber

In 40-degree+ track temperatures, everything in need of cooling down

Kimi Raikkonen gave the first clear indication that Lotus are set to prove a very competitive force at the Bahrain GP by outpacing the Red Bulls and Ferraris in Practice Two at Sakhir.

A year on from the team's double podium finish at the desert venue, and the first signs of their car's now-proven liking for running in high ambient temperatures, Lotus have been tipped by some observers to set the ultimate pace this weekend.
And having focused on heavier-fuel runs up until the mid-point of P2, the Enstone team sent Raikkonen out on a lighter fuel load and the Finn immediately surged his way to the front with a best time of 1:34.154 which was 0.030s quicker than Red Bull's Mark Webber had earlier managed.
However, the in-form Australian GP winner's advantage would have undoubtedly been more emphatic but for two small mistakes in the final sector, ominously suggesting there is plenty more speed in that Lotus ahead of Saturday's running.

Ferrari had set the early morning pace, and again initially in the afternoon on the harder tyres, but slipped to fourth and sixth in the end as the Red Bulls of Webber and Sebastian Vettel move ahead on the quicker medium rubber.
Furthermore, morning pacesetter Felipe Massa was also pipped by Paul di Resta who maintained his and Force India's impressive start to the meeting with a fifth-fastest lap which was under four tenths off the pace.
Mercedes, however, ended up half a second back on the table-topping Lotus with Nico Rosberg, as has become the early-season tradition in practice at least, a handful of tenths up on team-mate Lewis Hamilton in eighth and tenth places respectively.

McLaren, who have never enjoyed the most competitive Bahrain showings at the best of times, ended the day with both of their cars outside of the top ten with lead runner Jenson Button 1.2s off Raikkonen's pace.
Indeed, it is the pace of the E21 which is set to be the talk of the paddock overnight with the car also showing typically consistent pace over the later race simulations on the medium compound.
From an opening time of 1:39.9, Raikkonen was still lapping in the 1:41.2 some 11 laps later. By contrast Hamilton's Mercedes' pace had slipped to a 1:43 at a similar point.
So ahead of a race on Sunday which some are predicting could be the hottest of all time in F1, could the sleek black and gold cars be out of reach for even the polesitters of the last two Bahrain GPs, Red Bull? World Champion Vettel, at least, isn't convinced.
"I don't know, I think we have to focus on ourselves first of all," the German told Sky Sports F1 after lapping 0.128s adrift of the lead Lotus.
"The car is quick, so I think we have to make sure we use that. The speed of the car can only be shown on track if you translate it through the proper way on the tyres, so we need to make sure we get the maximum out of that. Then we should be on a good page."