Charles Leclerc set the fastest time for Ferrari during the second and final 2026 pre-season test in Bahrain, topping the timesheets by 0.8 seconds overall. Mercedes remains the pre-race favorite despite not chasing outright pace, while Aston Martin faced significant reliability issues. The test highlighted close competition among the top four teams ahead of the Australian Grand Prix.
The second 2026 pre-season test at the Bahrain International Circuit concluded after three days, providing teams with valuable data under the new regulations emphasizing sustainable power units and active aerodynamics. Ferrari's Charles Leclerc recorded the overall fastest lap of 1m 31.992s on the soft C4 Pirelli compound during Friday's afternoon session, beating Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli's 1m 32.803s by 0.811s. Leclerc's effort came amid qualifying simulation runs, though team principal Fred Vasseur stressed that individual times reveal little, emphasizing mileage and data collection instead. Ferrari completed 324 laps across the test, with Vasseur noting they met targets for reliability and long-run consistency.
Mercedes topped the mileage charts with 432 laps, despite pneumatic issues sidelining Antonelli on Friday morning. George Russell highlighted reliability as an area for improvement but praised the car's feel and power unit performance, stating, "the car is feeling good, the new power units are feeling fast and we’re making improvements every single day." Sources indicate Mercedes holds performance in reserve, positioning them as favorites for Melbourne, supported by quicker long-run averages than Ferrari's.
McLaren, the defending constructors' champions, logged 395 laps with Oscar Piastri's 1m 32.861s as their best. Piastri expressed growing optimism, while CEO Zak Brown predicted a position in the "big four" but not leading. Red Bull managed 329 laps, with Max Verstappen's 1m 33.109s, and their in-house DM01 power unit drew praise for reliability, though technical director Pierre Wache noted competitors have caught up in energy management.
The top four—Mercedes, Ferrari, McLaren, and Red Bull—appear closely matched, separated by tenths, with a one-second gap to the midfield led by Alpine (359 laps, Pierre Gasly's 1m 33.421s) and Haas (404 laps). Aston Martin struggled most, completing just 128 laps due to Honda battery issues, with Lance Stroll managing only six untimed laps on the final day. Team principal Mike Krack admitted they are on the back foot, focusing on development for the season's second half.
Innovations included Ferrari's rotating active rear wing, tested for legality and potential Melbourne use, and Audi's new sidepods. Verstappen criticized the cars as "Formula E on steroids," citing unnatural driving techniques like lift-and-coast for energy management, though teams showed progress from Barcelona. Political tensions simmered over Mercedes' compression ratio, with the FIA proposing tests effective August 1 after rival concerns.
Overall mileage across both Bahrain tests saw McLaren lead with 817 laps, underscoring reliability trends over raw pace as teams prepare for the March 6-8 Australian Grand Prix.
