Leclerc tops final day of Bahrain testing as Aston Martin limited to two laps

Charles Leclerc put Ferrari on top of the leaderboard on the final morning of the 2026 Bahrain test, clocking a 1:33.689 over 80 laps. A battery glitch and a shortage of Honda power‑unit parts left Aston Martin to complete only two laps, while a Mercedes‑powered Kimi Antonelli’s red‑flag stop truncated the British team’s run.

Why it matters:

• Ferrari’s strong pace signals a competitive start after a mixed 2025.
• Aston Martin’s Honda‑powered package shows reliability concerns that could affect early‑season performance.
• Mercedes losing track time highlights potential teething issues with its new power unit.

The details:

• Leclerc (Ferrari) – 1:33.689, 80 laps (fastest).
• Antonelli (Mercedes) – +0.227 s, 49 laps (red‑flag stopped run).
• Piastri (McLaren) – +0.663 s, 66 laps; Ocon (Haas) – +0.805 s, 82 laps.
• Hadjar (Red Bull Racing Bulls) – +0.822 s, 59 laps.
• Teams failing to reach 50 laps: Aston Martin (2 laps) and Mercedes (49 laps, red‑flagged).
• Ferrari, Haas and the Racing Bulls car logged the most mileage, indicating strong reliability.

What's next:

• Ferrari will aim to turn early speed into race‑trim performance before the Saudi season opener.
• Aston Martin will patch the battery issue and secure extra Honda parts ahead of the next test.
• Mercedes will analyse the red‑flag incident to fine‑tune its power‑unit reliability.
• All teams have a week to process data and adjust setups, making Thursday’s test a decisive checkpoint for the 2026 grid.