F1, Sportrik Media - Charles Leclerc topped the timesheets in the final morning session of the second F1 2026 pre-season test in Bahrain, while Aston Martin endured a severely disrupted programme. The Ferrari driver set a benchmark of 1:33.689 across 80 laps at the Bahrain International Circuit.
Leclerc’s fastest effort placed him two-tenths of a second clear of Kimi Antonelli in the Mercedes and Oscar Piastri in the McLaren, as teams concluded the morning segment of the final test day.
Antonelli’s running was curtailed after just 49 laps due to a loss of pneumatic pressure, which triggered a red flag midway through the session. Mercedes subsequently confirmed that a power unit change was required before George Russell takes over the W17 for the concluding afternoon session.
Aston Martin’s difficulties continued following Thursday’s issue involving Fernando Alonso. Ongoing investigations by Honda into the earlier failure restricted the team to limited running, with Lance Stroll completing only two late laps and failing to register a representative time.
The disrupted session leaves Aston Martin with significantly reduced mileage heading into the final hours of testing, while Ferrari and Mercedes completed structured programmes focused on performance validation and reliability checks under the new 2026 regulations.
With only one session remaining before the paddock relocates to Melbourne for the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, teams now shift focus to consolidating data gathered across the Bahrain test and finalising baseline configurations for the opening round.
| POS | FOTO | RIDER / TEAM | TIME / GAP | PTS/LAP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 |  | Charles LeclercScuderia Ferrari HP | 1:33.689 Monaco | |
2 |  | Kimi AntonelliMercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team | 1:33.916 Italy | |
3 |  | Oscar PiastriMcLaren Mastercard F1 Team | 1:34.352 Australia | |
4 |  | Esteban OconTGR Haas F1 Team | 1:34.494 France | |
5 |  | Isack HadjarOracle Red Bull Racing | 1:34.511 Prancis | |
6 |  | Pierre GaslyBWT Alpine F1 Team | 1:34.846 France | |
7 |  | Arvid LindbladVisa Cash App Racing Bulls F1 Team | 1:35.238 Inggris | |
8 |  | Carlos SainzAtlassian Williams F1 Team | 1:35.252 Spain | |
9 |  | Nico HulkenbergAudi Revolut F1 Team | 1:36.019 Germany | |
10 |  | Sergio PerezCadillac F1 Team | 1:40.842 Meksiko | |
11 |  | Lance StrollAston Martin Aramco F1 Team | No time set Canada |
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