Russell Edges Piastri in Tight Bahrain Test Battle
George Russell led a tightly-packed second day of F1 testing in Bahrain, beating Oscar Piastri by just 0.010s. McLaren showed strong pace, but Aston Martin lost crucial track time with reliability issues, while Max Verstappen gave his Red Bull to rookie Isack Hadjar for the day.
George Russell set the fastest time on the second day of pre-season testing in Bahrain, leading McLaren's Oscar Piastri by a razor-thin 0.010 seconds. The session highlighted McLaren's strong pace but also revealed reliability struggles for Aston Martin, while reigning champion Max Verstappen sat out the day entirely, ceding his Red Bull seat to rookie Isack Hadjar.
Why it matters:
Pre-season testing times are always deceptive, but the ultra-close margin at the top between Mercedes and McLaren suggests a potentially tight battle at the front could be brewing. Meanwhile, Aston Martin's significant lack of mileage due to technical problems puts the team on the back foot with just one day of testing remaining before the season opener.
The details:
- Tight at the Top: Russell's benchmark of 1:33.459 for Mercedes was just a hundredth of a second clear of Piastri's McLaren. Ferrari's Charles Leclerc was a further 0.270 seconds back in third, indicating a possible three-team fight.
- McLaren's Mixed Day: While Piastri's pace was strong, teammate Lando Norris finished fourth, half a second off the lead, after battling braking issues that limited his running to 54 laps. The team completed 124 laps collectively, focusing on setup work across different conditions.
- Aston Martin's Troubles: The team had a day to forget. Lance Stroll caused a red flag by beaching his car in the gravel, and Fernando Alonso was sidelined with power unit trouble. Combined, they managed only 54 laps, with team principal Mike Krack admitting the priority for the final day is simply to accumulate mileage.
- Notable Absences and Debuts: Max Verstappen did not drive, with Red Bull opting to give reserve driver Isack Hadjar a full day of running, where he finished sixth. Mercedes junior Kimi Antonelli also impressed, completing 69 laps and setting the fifth-fastest time.
What's next:
The final day of pre-season testing in Bahrain begins Thursday, offering teams one last chance to gather data and solve problems before the cars go into parc fermé for the first Grand Prix weekend at the same circuit. All eyes will be on whether Aston Martin can recover its lost track time and if the close gaps between Mercedes, McLaren, and Ferrari are a true indicator of the 2026 pecking order.