Charles Leclerc impressed everyone with his race pace, as Ferrari looked extremely strong in Bahrain. Here is the complete analysis of the simulated race run carried out during the final morning of testing.
Impressive. That is the word that best summarizes the race pace shown by Charles Leclerc at the wheel of the Ferrari during the morning session of the final day of F1 testing in Bahrain. The consistency and tyre degradation management displayed on a track that was registering temperatures of around 45°C were truly remarkable, a clear sign that the SF-26 has been very well designed and is already making people talk.
Charles Leclerc simulated an entire race distance, interrupted only by a red flag caused by a problem encountered by Kimi Antonelli and his W17. From the onboard footage, the SF-26 appeared extremely stable, and Charles Leclerc was able to push it right to the limit. At this stage of the season, outright lap times are not the key focus; what really matters is tyre degradation and consistency. And in both areas, the Scuderia delivered very positive signals.
A race pace with minimal degradation
Charles Leclerc began his race simulation on the C3 compound, completing a 10-lap stint during which the SF-26 lost around eight tenths of a second. Such degradation on the softer compound is entirely normal, especially in extremely high temperatures and with a full fuel load. The second stint was run on the harder C2 compound, with lap times stabilizing around 1:38.5 for 13 laps. There were a few slower laps in the 1:38.8 range, likely due to different energy deployment management phases.
The third stint was once again on the C3 compound but lasted only five laps because of the red flag triggered by Antonelli. For the final stint, Charles fitted the C2 compound again, and this is where the real show began. The Monegasque started the stint with a 1:37.5 and, after 22 laps, posted virtually the exact same lap time. In between, he repeatedly dipped below the 1:37 barrier, setting several laps in the 1:36.4 range.
Ferrari proved to be genuinely strong in this race pace phase, especially considering the near-prohibitive track temperatures that should have significantly increased tyre degradation. That simply did not happen. The SF-26 maintained an impressive balance and consistency throughout the long runs, reinforcing the positive impressions already gathered during previous sessions.
Below are the lap times from Charles Leclerc’s race simulation compared with two stints from Oscar Piastri:
Source: f1ingenerale.com
Charles Leclerc’s race simulation on the final day of Bahrain testing has therefore established Ferrari as a leading force for the 2026 season, with the SF-26 demonstrating elite-level consistency and tire management that suggests the team is ready to fight for victory in Melbourne.
