Lewis Hamilton closes the gap to Charles Leclerc during Bahrain pre-season testing
Charles Leclerc may have set the fastest lap times during the Bahrain pre-season testing, but Lewis Hamilton is heading into the 2026 Formula 1 season with renewed confidence and optimism.
Ferrari have emerged as one of the teams to beat during testing, with their explosive race starts particularly catching the attention of fans and pundits alike. Commentator David Croft described Lewis Hamilton as a ‘rocket’ after observing his launches off the grid, as the FIA sought to address safety concerns around the new starting procedures.
Last season, Charles Leclerc clearly outpaced Lewis Hamilton, finishing 86 points ahead in the drivers’ championship. The hope for the 2026 regulations is that they could give Hamilton the tools he needs to finally extract the maximum potential from the new ground-effect cars.
Journalists Edd Straw and Samarth Kanal noted Hamilton’s improvement over the two weeks of testing in Bahrain, highlighting how Ferrari appear to have started incorporating his feedback into the car setup.
Lewis Hamilton narrows the gap to Charles Leclerc in Bahrain testing
On The Race F1 Podcast, Edd Straw reflected on Ferrari’s performance and explained that Charles Leclerc had been the quickest overall by eight-tenths of a second during his final flying laps in Bahrain. Straw described the SF-26 as “responsive and sharp on track,” and noted that while the car had looked promising at the start of testing, it continued to improve steadily over the two weeks.
Edd Straw highlighted that the car handled corners well, maintained speed effectively, and delivered strong exits, which are key indicators of race performance. He added that while the fastest lap in testing doesn’t always reflect true championship pace, the SF-26’s development trajectory was very encouraging for Ferrari.
Samarth Kanal added that the improvements were particularly positive for Lewis Hamilton. Kanal suggested that the car was now much closer to what Hamilton had been asking for and that he appeared more comfortable and confident behind the wheel.
Straw concluded that the Briton’s comfort level had significantly increased over the testing period. He emphasized that the gap between Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc had “closed massively,” indicating that the seven-time world champion is in a strong position heading into the first race of the season.
Ferrari planning updates ahead of the 2026 Australian Grand Prix
Another key aspect of pre-season testing was observing the varying approaches of different teams. McLaren largely maintained the same car design throughout testing, focusing on optimising their existing package.
By contrast, Ferrari experimented far more aggressively. One of the most eye-catching innovations was their radical reversible rear wing, which was on display during the final days of Bahrain testing. Ferrari are reportedly planning to shelve this design ahead of the Australian Grand Prix, although it could return later in the season.
This flexibility is good news for Lewis Hamilton, as it demonstrates Ferrari’s willingness to adapt the car to meet the specific needs of their drivers. While Charles Leclerc pushed the car to its absolute limits to set his fastest lap in Bahrain, the British driver’s testing runs focused more on consistency and understanding the new car, which may pay dividends during the 2026 campaign.
Beating Charles Leclerc in qualifying in Melbourne will be a significant challenge for Lewis Hamilton, given Leclerc’s expertise in extracting performance over a single lap. However, Hamilton’s improved race pace and comfort level in the SF-26 during pre-season testing provide strong signs that he could mount a serious challenge for victories in 2026.
As teams now turn their attention to Australia, both Charles Leclerc and his Maranello teammate will head to the season opener confident that Ferrari have made meaningful progress, with the gap between the two drivers much closer than it appeared at the start of testing.
