By Nicoly Pallazini
Formula 1 – Bahrain Pre-Season Testing 2026 led by Lando Norris, Charles Leclerc and Kimi Antonelli -Pre-Season Testing – Day 1
The opening day of the first Bahrain pre-season test saw teams getting their first significant running under the new 2026 regulations. Lando Norris (McLaren) topped the timesheets with a best lap around the 1:34s mark, while Max Verstappen (Red Bull) and Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) rounded out the top three. Drivers and teams focused on gathering extensive mileage and assessing their new cars’ reliability and balance. There were a couple of red flag interruptions due to on-track issues, but most teams managed solid running across the day. Lewis Hamilton, now at Ferrari, was further down the order but completed consistent laps as part of early setup work.Pre-Season Testing – Day 2On the second day, Charles Leclerc put his Ferrari on the fastest official time of the session, heading the timesheet with a 1:34.273, while Lando Norris (McLaren) completed the most laps overall, highlighting McLaren’s high mileage programme for the test. Teams continued long-run programmes and set up evaluations, with Ferrari completing a full day without major issues and even running race simulations. However, some squads, including Red Bull and Mercedes, experienced morning delays due to technical challenges, slightly disrupting running schedules. Overall, teams emphasised that testing timesheets are not definitive of performance this early in the season, as focus remains on data collection and reliability, and there’s still a long way to go.Pre-Season Testing – Day 3On the final day of the first three-day Bahrain pre-season test, Mercedes closed the session in strong form, topping the timesheets with both of their cars. The rookie Kimi Antonelli set the fastest lap of the week, posting a 1:33.669 in the afternoon, just ahead of team-mate George Russell, who had earlier led the morning session with a 1:33.918 time. This result gives Mercedes a clear early benchmark as teams continue adjusting to the new 2026 regulations.Ferrari also showed encouraging pace, with Lewis Hamilton third fastest on the day, setting a 1:34.209 and completing a solid number of laps as part of a productive day’s running. Other notable performances included Oscar Piastri (McLaren) and Max Verstappen (Red Bull) in the top five, although details like lap counts and running varied between drivers.The day featured a few interruptions, including a red flag for Cadillac, and some teams focusing on mileage and reliability rather than outright times. Across testing, Mercedes’ pace and consistency stood out, while other teams used the session to build data and refine setups ahead of the second Bahrain test later this month and the season opener in Australia on March 8.With testing now concluded, the competitive picture remains intriguing and disputed, but the real answers will only begin to show up once the lights go out on race weekend.- Nicoly Pallazini
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