F1 2026 Bahrain Pre-Season Test: Leclerc Tops Final Morning as Aston Martin Struggles
Ferrari's Charles Leclerc led the timesheets in the final morning of 2026 F1 pre-season testing in Bahrain. The session was marred by significant setbacks for Aston Martin, which completed just two laps, and Mercedes, which faced a power unit issue with Kimi Antonelli's car.
Charles Leclerc set the fastest time in the final morning of 2026 Formula 1 pre-season testing in Bahrain, while Aston Martin's program was derailed by technical issues. The Ferrari driver's best lap of 1:33.689 put him two-tenths clear of Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli and McLaren's Oscar Piastri, capping off a productive session for the Scuderia.
Why it matters:
The final pre-season running is a critical last chance for teams to validate their cars and gather data before the competitive season begins. Major reliability problems, like those suffered by Aston Martin and Mercedes, can leave teams scrambling with unresolved issues heading into the first race, potentially impacting their early-season performance.
The Details:
- Ferrari's Pace: Leclerc completed 80 laps, demonstrating both speed and reliability for Ferrari, with his best time standing as the morning's benchmark.
- Mercedes Setback: Kimi Antonelli's running was cut short to just 49 laps after a loss of pneumatic pressure caused a red flag. The team was forced to change the power unit ahead of George Russell taking over the car for the afternoon.
- Aston Martin's Disaster: The team endured a virtually lost session, with Lance Stroll managing only two installation laps late in the morning. This followed extensive Honda investigations into Fernando Alonso's power unit failure on Thursday, which limited the team to very short runs.
- McLaren Consistency: Oscar Piastri slotted into third, continuing McLaren's pattern of solid, trouble-free mileage throughout testing.
What's next:
The afternoon session will see George Russell, Carlos Sainz, and Fernando Alonso take over their respective cars for the final four hours of pre-season testing. Teams will now shift their focus from pure data collection to race simulations and fine-tuning, making every lap count before the cars are locked away for the opening Grand Prix.