F1 2026 Pre-Season Testing Concludes in Bahrain with Star Returns
The final day of Formula 1 pre-season testing at the Bahrain International Circuit is underway, marking a crucial build-up to the 2026 season. All 11 teams are participating, with notable returns from Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen, as the sport gears up for a complete regulatory overhaul that could redefine competitive dynamics.
Testing Dynamics and Early Insights
While lap times during testing are often speculative, day one set a tone with reigning world champion Lando Norris posting the fastest lap in his McLaren, closely followed by Max Verstappen. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff highlighted Red Bull's straight-line speed as the benchmark, while McLaren CEO Zak Brown affirmed the dominance of the 'big four' teams: McLaren, Red Bull, Mercedes, and Ferrari.
Audi captured attention with a radical new sidepod design, narrower and more vertical than previously showcased, shifting focus from January's private shakedown event in Barcelona. In contrast, Aston Martin faced challenges, with Lance Stroll completing only 36 laps on day one. Lewis Hamilton expressed concerns that Ferrari's race engineer changes might hinder his season prospects, which kicks off with the Australian Grand Prix on 8 March.
Day Two Highlights and Leaderboard
On day two, Charles Leclerc of Ferrari emerged fastest, clocking a time of 1:34.273 over 139 laps, half a second ahead of Lando Norris, who completed 149 laps. Ollie Bearman secured third place with 130 laps. Mercedes encountered setbacks due to a power unit issue, limiting George Russell to 54 laps and Kimi Antonelli to just 3 laps.
The full day two leaderboard is as follows:
- Charles Leclerc - 1:34.273 (139 laps)
- Lando Norris +0.511 (149 laps)
- Ollie Bearman +1.121 (130 laps)
- George Russell +1.193 (54 laps)
- Isack Hadjar +2.288 (87 laps)
- Gabriel Bortoleto +2.397 (67 laps)
- Pierre Gasly +2.450 (97 laps)
- Valtteri Bottas +2.551 (67 laps)
- Alex Albon +2.956 (62 laps)
- Nico Hulkenberg +2.993 (47 laps)
- Arvid Lindblad +3.197 (83 laps)
- Carlos Sainz +3.319 (69 laps)
- Liam Lawson +3.744 (50 laps)
- Fernando Alonso +3.975 (98 laps)
- Sergio Perez +4.380 (42 laps)
- Kimi Antonelli - no time (3 laps)
Team Perspectives and Challenges
Aston Martin's Lance Stroll acknowledged the team's struggles, estimating they are four seconds off the pace-setters. He emphasized the need to catch up after missing laps in Barcelona, stating, "We have a lot of work to do, catching up to do... We need to try and find four seconds of performance. I don't think it falls from the sky." Stroll also praised Adrian Newey's focus on performance, describing him as obsessed with enhancing car capabilities.
Williams team boss James Vowles commented on Red Bull's impressive pace, noting a consistent six-tenths advantage into Turn 1 and praising their reliability and performance in the new regulatory environment.
Looking Ahead to the Final Day
As testing concludes, fans can expect Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton to re-enter the fray, providing further insights into team preparations. The live coverage will resume at 7am GMT, wrapping up a week of intense scrutiny ahead of the 2026 season opener.
