Charles Leclerc takes Ferrari to P3 on opening day of Bahrain testing: SF-26 technical breakdown. Charles Leclerc finished third on Day 1 of the 2026 Bahrain F1 pre-season test.

Bahrain F1 2026 Test | Leclerc pushes the SF-26 to third on Day 1: Ferrari’s work explained

Ferrari completed Day 1 of the 2026 Bahrain pre-season test with Charles Leclerc at the wheel of the SF-26 in the afternoon session. Here’s a detailed look at the work done, with the Monegasque driver finishing in third place.

The Maranello team can be satisfied at least with Day 1 in Bahrain. Ferrari focused on specific programs with Leclerc in the afternoon session, with the Monegasque driver ending the day in third position.

After Lewis Hamilton completed 52 laps in the morning, it was Charles Leclerc’s turn to take the SF-26 out on track. The seven-time world champion shared his initial impressions and explained the various difficulties he faced. Hamilton, in fact, spun twice, locking up the front tires in several corners. The British driver seemed to struggle with the wind and heat, which prevented him from pushing closer to the limit. Meanwhile, Leclerc managed to push the car through more than 100 laps in total on Day 1.

132 total laps for Ferrari, Leclerc finishes third

The #16 carried out several long runs, clearly simulating race pace on both medium and soft tires. Ferrari, also with Hamilton, focused heavily on running the softer compound, both in qualifying mode and during consecutive laps. At this stage, it is still difficult to draw firm conclusions, as we do not know the engine maps or fuel loads used by the teams. The new regulations introduce numerous innovations, including active aerodynamics with adjustable openings on the front and rear wings. Another crucial element is the highly complex use of the battery, which provides 50% of the power to the engine alongside the internal combustion unit.

In the final 20 minutes, live TV images showed Flow-Viz applied on the diffuser and across the rear axle of the SF-26 to collect data on airflow in that area. The Monegasque driver then concluded the day with a race pace simulation on medium tires. The limited onboard footage showed some rear instability, but it is far too early to assess the car’s strengths or weaknesses. On his fastest lap, Charles Leclerc placed third, behind Max Verstappen and Lando Norris. Charles completed 80 laps. Adding Lewis Hamilton’s laps, Ferrari totaled an impressive 132 laps on Day 1. Ferrari engines powered a total of 357 laps today: 132 by Ferrari, 115 by Haas, and 107 by Cadillac.

Day 1 final classification

• 1 NORRIS – 53 laps – 1:34.669
• 2 VERSTAPPEN – 131 laps – 1:34.798
• 3 LECLERC – 80 laps – 1:35.190
• 4 OCON – 112 laps – 1:35.578
• 5 PIASTRI – 54 laps – 1:35.602
• 6 RUSSELL – 56 laps – 1:36.108
• 7 HAMILTON – 52 laps – 1:36.433
• 8 GASLY – 45 laps – 1:36.769
• 9 HULKENBERG – 69 laps – 1:36.861
• 10 ALBON – 68 laps – 1:37.437
• 11 ANTONELLI – 26 laps – 1:37.629
• 12 LINDBLAD – 75 laps – 1:37.945
• 13 SAINZ – 77 laps – 1:38.221
• 14 PEREZ – 55 laps – 1:38.828
• 15 BORTOLETO – 49 laps – 1:38.871
• 16 BOTTAS – 49 laps – 1:39.150