Bahrain-2 testing day 1: Ferrari focuses on SF-26 long runs, completing 114 laps. Ferrari’s first day in Bahrain testing: Leclerc and Hamilton combine for 114 laps.

George Russell finished at the top of the timesheets on the first day of testing in Sakhir, setting a 1:33.459 on C3 tires late in the afternoon as temperatures dropped. Oscar Piastri was just ten thousandths behind in second, followed by Charles Leclerc in third with his morning time. Mercedes and McLaren focused heavily on long runs, while Red Bull and Aston Martin experienced a slower day on track.

The first day of this final pre-season testing session in Sakhir wrapped up with George Russell’s best lap of 1:33.459, achieved in the last hour of the session when the sun had set and track temperatures were around 25°C.

This lap came after an initial error, during which the Brit avoided locking up at turn 10 by running off track. As observed last week, there were numerous mistakes and lock-ups on braking, particularly when pushing the limits or when tires had accumulated several laps and were no longer at peak grip.

This confirms how challenging it is to find the correct balance between mechanical braking with a traditional system, brake-by-wire, and engine braking—especially in corners where first gear is used. It’s a complex task that requires careful calibration.

Close behind Russell by only ten thousandths, Oscar Piastri also set his lap late in the afternoon as temperatures cooled. Beyond the fastest lap, both Russell and Piastri focused on multiple long runs, maintaining consistent times across stints to validate setup changes under stable conditions.

It’s no surprise that Mercedes and McLaren are among the most consistent teams: Russell completed the highest number of laps at 76, while the Australian Piastri reached 70.

Charles Leclerc recorded the third fastest time of the day, almost three tenths off the lead, but his lap came in the morning session when track temperatures were higher. Leclerc’s program differed from those running in the afternoon, with shorter runs for setup and energy usage adjustments, completing only a single long run.

There will be ample time over the next few days to catch up, with teams running full race simulations during the final two days of testing. Lando Norris finished fourth, about six-tenths off the pace. Like Charles Leclerc, Lando Norris only ran in the morning, focusing on long runs during the hotter mid-day hours.

Kimi Antonelli also had a busy morning, dedicating his time to long-distance work. The Italian driver for Mercedes completed three separate long runs, consistently lapping at around 1:37 to gather reliable data for comparison. His best lap, about seven tenths off Russell, was set with a full fuel load; he immediately continued into another long run without pitting, carrying fuel for roughly 15 laps.

Isack Hadjar in the Red Bull had limited track time due to car issues that slowed progress. The Frenchman, who did not have to swap with a teammate, completed only 66 laps—fewer than those who ran exclusively in the morning or afternoon.

Lewis Hamilton finished seventh. The Ferrari driver lost over an hour in the garage due to a car issue, with the SF-26 lifted on jacks and the floor removed, allowing the team to cover the car and keep work hidden from view. After completing repairs, Lewis Hamilton returned for a long run on prototype C3 tires from Pirelli’s Turkish facility. During this stint, he also performed aerodynamic measurements using flow-viz on the front wing.

The top ten was completed by Carlos Sainz on the Williams, Franco Colapinto in the Alpine, and Gabriel Bortoleto in the Audi R26. Their lap times were already showing a larger gap, nearly two seconds off the top. Aston Martin faced multiple issues, with Lance Stroll causing a red flag in the afternoon after his car stalled at turn 11, spinning out. He later stopped again due to power unit problems, completing only 26 laps, a minimal data collection haul.

Day 1 official results