Kimi Antonelli assesses Ferrari performance and 2026 F1 rivals during Bahrain testing
Kimi Antonelli had a limited opportunity to get behind the wheel on the second morning of pre-season Formula 1 testing in Bahrain. The Italian driver had been scheduled to run the Mercedes car before the morning break, but an unexpected technical issue prevented him from completing the planned program.
Ultimately, Kimi Antonelli managed only three laps, none of which were officially timed. Despite the minimal running, the experience allowed him to observe the performance of Mercedes’ main competitors at close range. Speaking with Sky Italia from the pit lane, the Mercedes driver noted that while it is still too early to define a clear hierarchy for the 2026 season, the so-called ‘big four’ teams continue to maintain a slight edge over the rest of the field.
Heading into the Bahrain test, Mercedes were widely considered among the favourites to challenge for early dominance. However, team principal Toto Wolff highlighted that Red Bull currently possess the strongest combination of chassis and power unit, a point that Antonelli appeared to agree with after his trackside observations.
Antonelli compares Ferrari to Red Bull and McLaren
Kimi Antonelli emphasised that Red Bull continue to set the benchmark, while McLaren have retained the highly effective front-end performance that helped them secure strong results in 2025. By contrast, Ferrari appeared to Kimi Antonelli to be less balanced than some of their rivals. Charles Leclerc, he noted, seemed to struggle with understeer, suggesting that the SF-26 may still require fine-tuning or that Charles Leclerc’s setup was not yet fully optimized.
According to the young Italian driver, Ferrari’s understeer was particularly noticeable when compared to Red Bull and McLaren, though he acknowledged that the car still shows promise. Observers noted that in some corners the Ferrari seemed almost overly responsive on turn-in, hinting that engineers may have over-corrected certain elements of the chassis during the early development process.
Antonelli also remarked that Lewis Hamilton experienced braking challenges initially, although these were largely influenced by the extreme track conditions in Bahrain. He suggested that the issue would only become a serious concern if it persisted throughout the remaining testing sessions.
Ferrari’s strategic approach to pre-season upgrades
One of the most intriguing aspects of Ferrari’s 2026 preparation is their unconventional approach to pre-season testing. Unlike other teams that are progressively evolving their cars toward the Melbourne specification, Ferrari appear to be keeping the first-round car deliberately under wraps. The Scuderia plan to debut significant upgrades at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, including redesigned sidepods and additional aerodynamic improvements.
This strategy provides Ferrari with two clear advantages. First, keeping their innovations hidden from rival teams and spy cameras preserves the element of surprise. Second, it allows the engineers to refine components without external pressure. However, it also presents a challenge: the team and drivers will miss the opportunity to gather real-world data on the new Melbourne-spec features during testing. Consequently, both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc will need to recalibrate and adapt quickly when stepping into a significantly different car during the opening practice sessions in Albert Park.
Implications for the 2026 Formula 1 season
Overall, Kimi Antonelli’s limited track time highlighted several key insights into the early competitive order for 2026. Red Bull continues to show strong performance both in terms of chassis and engine, while McLaren maintain a very strong front end reminiscent of their 2025 title-contending car. Ferrari, despite showing promising updates, still faces challenges with balance and understeer, which engineers will need to address ahead of the first race.
Mercedes, meanwhile, are working to resolve their technical issues and complete the planned mileage to remain competitive. Antonelli’s observations underscore the importance of these early tests for gathering data, understanding rival performance, and evaluating the behavior of new power units and aerodynamic packages. With Ferrari keeping major upgrades under wraps, and teams like Red Bull and McLaren already showing reliable pace, the opening rounds of the 2026 Formula 1 season promise to be highly contested.
As the Bahrain pre-season tests continue, the focus will be on Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc as they adapt to the evolving SF-26 and prepare for the first Grand Prix in Melbourne. Ferrari’s decision to withhold certain upgrades until the season opener could provide a strategic advantage, but it also places extra pressure on the drivers to quickly extract performance from a car that may feel noticeably different from what they have been testing in Bahrain.
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