After completing the five-day shakedown in Barcelona, Formula 1 teams wrapped up the first official pre-season test session in Bahrain. With a mix of confirmations and surprises—both positive and negative—let’s break down what happened at the Bahrain International Circuit and what we can expect over the final 24 hours of testing beginning tomorrow.
It’s important to note that comparing lap times is almost meaningless due to differences in fuel loads, engine mappings, and, especially, battery usage—a factor more critical than ever in 2026. During experimental runs, deployment modes are frequently altered, which creates significant differences in top speed and lap times.
Day 1
Audi made an early impression, not necessarily for outright performance but for the radical design changes of the R26 compared to Barcelona. The sidepods are now more extreme, with vertical, chassis-hugging intakes reminiscent of the Mercedes zero-pods concept from 2022, though the aerodynamic objectives differ. The widened sidepods aim to direct turbulent air away from the floor. Audi also introduced a new front wing specification with a lower nose and repositioned the active aero actuator, now double as seen on the Racing Bulls.
Red Bull impressed with Max Verstappen completing 136 laps, including a stress test exceeding 120 laps at speeds around 335 km/h. The RBPT-Ford engine demonstrated strong reliability, a major achievement for a unit still in its early stages. Rookie Arvid Lindblad mirrored similar mileage in the morning session.
Mercedes, however, struggled. George Russell’s W17 lacked responsiveness compared to Barcelona, showing balance issues due to higher track temperatures, while Kimi Antonelli spent nearly two hours stationary with a suspension-transmission lock, completing only 30 laps. Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll fared worse, completing just 36 laps. Despite Adrian Newey’s strong aerodynamic design for the AMR26, Honda’s power unit lacked integration with the independently designed gearbox, forcing engine conservation to avoid transmission failure. Cooling issues also required visible engine cover vents, harming aero efficiency. Engineers are already preparing a “B” specification power unit with the ADUO system.
Day 2
Mercedes replaced its power unit to allow George Russell to run in the afternoon, leaving Kimi Antonelli limited to just three laps. Isack Hadjar missed the morning due to a hydraulic leak. Charles Leclerc led the day, followed by Lando Norris, although Norris set his time on a softer tyre compound (C2 vs C3). Ferrari and McLaren proved the most reliable in terms of mileage, while Mercedes and Red Bull faced early reliability headaches. Esteban Ocon noted that Ferrari’s SF-26 engine reliability remains strong, a testament to the work from Maranello.
Aston Martin had a nightmarish day. Stroll reported a worrying deficit of 4–4.5 seconds per lap compared to the leader, echoing Fernando Alonso’s past struggles with Honda during his second McLaren stint (2015–2017).
Day 3
Kimi Antonelli set the fastest lap of the three-day test with a 1:33.669, completing 61 laps, more than the previous two days combined. His performance included an impressive race simulation during the first stint. Mercedes showed strong consistency in long runs, despite rumors of strategic sandbagging. Lewis Hamilton completed 54 laps with Ferrari, while McLaren’s Oscar Piastri suffered faster tyre degradation, limiting his first stint to just 13 laps.
By the end of Day 3, McLaren and Ferrari remained the most solid teams, completing extensive mileage without major issues. Aston Martin remained the only team under 100 laps, restricted by a fragile power unit, and is likely to remain the grid’s tenth-placed team for the early races, only ahead of the inexperienced Cadillac.
Fastest laps & total mileage Bahrain 1
Top lap times Day 3:
- Kimi Antonelli – 1:33.669 (C3, 61 laps)
- George Russell – 1:33.918 (C3, 78 laps)
- Lewis Hamilton – 1:34.209 (C3, 150 laps)
- Oscar Piastri – 1:34.549 (C3, 161 laps)
- Max Verstappen – 1:35.341 (C3, 61 laps)
Total team mileage: Williams 422, McLaren 422, Ferrari 420, Haas 390, Audi 353, Red Bull 343, Racing Bulls 326, Cadillac 320, Alpine 318, Mercedes 282, Aston Martin 206
In terms of engine reliability, Ferrari was the only manufacturer to avoid any power unit changes due to technical issues. They ran the SF-26 with the Barcelona specification, though upgrades are planned for Bahrain 2.
With just 24 hours of testing left before the season opener in Melbourne (March 6–8), teams will start to show parts of their evolutionary packages. Friday’s sessions are expected to provide the first proper simulations of qualifying and race conditions, giving fans an early glimpse of the performance hierarchy for the 2026 season.
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