F1, Sportrik Media - Kimi Antonelli put Mercedes on top of the timesheets on the second day of the final three-day F1 2026 pre-season test in Bahrain, clocking a 1:32.803. The Italian was one of only two drivers to break into the 1m32s bracket, alongside Oscar Piastri.
Antonelli took over the W17 in the afternoon session after George Russell completed 77 laps in the morning. Combined, Mercedes surpassed 150 laps across the day, underlining a structured programme balancing performance simulations with long-run correlation work under the new 2026 regulations.
The 1:32.803 secured Antonelli the fastest time of the day, just 0.058s ahead of Piastri, who placed McLaren second with a 1:32.861. Piastri was the only other driver to dip below the 1m33s threshold, while Max Verstappen settled for a 1:33.162 in the Red Bull.
Despite not challenging the 1m32s benchmark, Verstappen completed a full-day programme in the RB22 and amassed 139 laps — one of the highest totals on Thursday. The mileage reflects Red Bull’s emphasis on race simulations and hybrid energy mapping rather than outright qualifying-style runs.
Further track time was lost for Aston Martin after Fernando Alonso stopped on circuit at Turn 4 during the opening hour of the afternoon session due to a reported power unit issue. The incident triggered a 15-minute red flag and limited the Silverstone-based team to just 68 laps, with no return to the track thereafter.
Lewis Hamilton recorded the fourth-fastest time for Ferrari shortly before the close of running. The seven-time world champion endured a disrupted morning, managing only five laps, but recovered to end the day with a total of 78 laps in his final pre-season outing before Melbourne.
Lando Norris completed the top five with his best effort from the morning session, finishing 0.650s off the outright benchmark. In addition to Verstappen, Franco Colapinto, Liam Lawson and Alex Albon each surpassed the 100-lap mark, reinforcing the grid-wide focus on durability and data acquisition as testing approaches its conclusion.
With one day remaining in Bahrain, teams will shift emphasis toward final validation runs and race simulations before the championship officially begins, where early-season competitive balance will reveal the true pecking order under the 2026 framework.
Day Two Overview – Bahrain F1 Test 2026
| Driver | Team | Best Time | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | 1:32.803 | 79 |
| Oscar Piastri | McLaren | 1:32.861 | - |
| Max Verstappen | Red Bull | 1:33.162 | 139 |
| Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | 1:33.xxx | 78 |
| Lando Norris | McLaren | 1:33.453 | 72 |
| Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | - | 68 |
| George Russell | Mercedes | - | 77 |
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