Leclerc tops testing as Aston Martin struggles

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc topped Bahrain testing with a 1:33.689 lap. Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll was limited to 18 minutes as the AMR26 suffered power‑unit failures. McLaren’s Oscar Piastri third.

Why it matters:

• Leclerc’s pace confirms Ferrari’s early‑season speed edge and puts them in a strong position for the opening race.
• Aston Martin’s power‑unit reliability woes threaten its championship hopes, as the under‑powered AMR26 hampers qualifying and race performance.

The details:

• Leclerc – 1:33.689, 80 laps, fastest.
• Stroll – 18 minutes on track, no timed lap; AMR26 down on power, reliability and aero.
• Antonelli (Mercedes) – 1:32.803, second fastest; stopped on lap 50 after pneumatic pressure loss, prompting a power‑unit change.
• Piastri – third fastest in the McLaren MCL40, solid run.
• Ocon – most laps overall (82) in the Alpine.

What's next:

• Ferrari will run a final afternoon in the SF‑26 before heading to Melbourne for the Australian GP.
• Aston Martin must fix its power‑unit reliability, with a new unit swap, to avoid a repeat in the season opener.
• Mercedes will field George Russell in the W17 after Antonelli’s stoppage, aiming to fine‑tune the chassis.

The final test day sets the tone, but the Melbourne sprint will be the true barometer for each team's readiness.