Why did Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari SF-26 stop late in the Bahrain F1 first pre-season test?. Hamilton’s SF-26 late stop: Bahrain F1 first pre-season test report.

Bahrain F1 Day 3: Mercedes leads as Lewis Hamilton stops late in Ferrari session

The third day of the first part of the Bahrain 2026 Formula 1 pre-season tests has concluded, with Mercedes leading the timesheets and the first warning signs appearing for Ferrari. Teams will now have time to analyze the data collected before returning to track on February 18. Mercedes once again dominated Day 3, while Lewis Hamilton brought out a red flag at the end of the session – here’s a detailed look at the results.

Morning: a nail-biting duel between Ferrari and Mercedes

The final day of pre-season testing in Bahrain began with a close battle among the top teams. During the morning session, it was Mercedes that stood out, with George Russell setting the fastest time of 1:33.918 after completing 78 laps, a testament to a well-structured and consistent program.

Just behind him was Lewis Hamilton in the Ferrari SF-26, only three-tenths slower with a 1:34.209. Hamilton’s morning work combined qualifying simulations and long-run programs, with the SF-26 showing competitive pace on single laps while maintaining solid consistency over longer runs, confirming the promising impressions from the previous days.

The third-fastest driver in the morning was Max Verstappen in the Red Bull with a 1:35.341. Although slightly off the top times, Red Bull focused on meticulous data-gathering programs. Oscar Piastri in the McLaren MCL40 also logged good mileage, completing 73 laps and posting a fifth-best time of 1:36.390, while Williams, Aston Martin, and other teams alternated between setup tests and longer stint simulations.

The morning session closed with the three leading teams separated by just over one second, under hot track conditions with asphalt temperatures exceeding 40°C, a factor that influenced tire management strategies throughout the session.

Afternoon: Antonelli fastest, Ferrari stops – what happened?

In the afternoon, attention shifted to the drivers taking over for the second half and full race simulation runs. Andrea Kimi Antonelli in the Mercedes stole the spotlight, setting the fastest lap of the day at 1:33.900, ahead of George Russell and Lewis Hamilton in the combined standings.

Ferrari continued its work on race pace with Lewis Hamilton, running consistent laps in the high 1:39s on C3 tires. However, towards the end of the session, the SF-26 stopped on track, triggering a red flag with ten minutes remaining. This incident interrupted the final phase of testing just as teams were completing their last long-run stints. The sudden stop immediately drew attention, with observers speculating about whether it was a mechanical issue or part of a planned test.

According to Frédéric Vasseur on Canal+, the stop was caused by low fuel as part of a fuel pickup test, and not due to a technical reliability problem. Ferrari could therefore be reassured that Lewis Hamilton’s SF-26 completed the session without serious issues.

Ferrari can take confidence from the session. The team never encountered any serious problems over the three days, completing 150 laps in total – nearly the equivalent of three Grand Prix distances. This provides valuable data ahead of the next test, where teams will be forced to push harder to prepare for the first races of the season and evaluate updates introduced on their respective cars.

At Red Bull, Isack Hadjar focused on race simulations and aerodynamic testing, including flow-viz runs on the front suspension, while the Red Bull-Ford power unit recorded the highest top speeds of the day, reaching up to 336 km/h. The package still seems to have more potential on single laps yet to be fully revealed.

McLaren also delivered solid performance with Oscar Piastri, completing an impressive 140 laps overall with very consistent stint times, indicating excellent reliability. The Woking-based team prioritized race pace over outright qualifying speed, mirroring Mercedes’ approach.

The day concluded without further interruptions, apart from the FIA Safety Car and Virtual Safety Car tests in the final minutes. Ferrari and Mercedes leave Bahrain with very positive indications, Red Bull remains cautious, and McLaren confirms that it is ready to challenge in the competitive fight ahead.

Day 3 fastest laps