Lewis Hamilton wasn’t able to complete his full program on Day 2 of the Bahrain tests. Did the seven-time world champion feel frustrated by the issues Ferrari experienced in the morning? Here’s what he had to say at the end of the day, after spending the entire session behind the wheel of the SF-26.
Day 2 sees Ferrari in the spotlight again
It wasn’t about lap times this time, but rather a truly innovative technical solution regarding the rear wing’s movable flap. Maranello’s aerodynamicists showed the concept for just a few laps. However, Ferrari was only able to run a handful of laps in the morning—just five—due to some minor chassis and sensor issues. Engine problems were completely ruled out. Hamilton will return to the car during FP1 in Australia.
Hamilton wraps up Ferrari’s Bahrain program: “It wasn’t a perfect day”
On the penultimate day of pre-season testing at the Sakhir circuit, Lewis Hamilton was Ferrari’s only driver behind the wheel of the SF-26. The Briton covered a total of 84 laps (455 km), focusing on development work and data collection. The Briton started the morning session on C3 tires, but the team encountered a technical problem that required a prolonged garage intervention to resolve.
Once the issue was fixed, Lewis Hamilton returned to the track before the lunch break and completed a grid start simulation. “It wasn’t a perfect day for us because we didn’t manage to complete the full program,” he said. “That said, we had a great team effort in the garage—everyone did a fantastic job to get the car ready so I could return to track. I’m very grateful for the laps we managed to complete, and the data we gathered will be important as we continue preparing for the season.”
Afternoon running and tire evaluation
After the break, Lewis Hamilton resumed work initially on C3 tires before switching to the harder compounds, C2 and C1. With these, he completed several long runs, focusing on evaluating different setup solutions and monitoring tire behavior on an increasingly rubbered-in track with falling temperatures. Towards the end of the day, he fitted fresh C3 sets, setting his best time at 1’33”408. Ferrari’s Bahrain testing program will conclude today with Charles Leclerc taking over the wheel for the final session.
Lewis Hamilton’s penultimate day of testing was therefore hampered by technical setbacks, but the 84 laps completed provided vital data for the SF-26’s development, leaving the legendary driver grateful for the team’s efficiency ahead of his Ferrari debut in Melbourne.
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