Pre-season testing for the 2026 Formula 1 campaign has officially wrapped up in Bahrain, with the final lap times now confirmed. Teams have spent the past two weeks gathering crucial data at the Bahrain International Circuit as they fine-tune their cars ahead of the season-opening Australian Grand Prix.
Across the opening test, Mercedes stood out as one of the strongest performers, with Kimi Antonelli and George Russell regularly topping the timesheets. Close behind were leading contenders from Ferrari, McLaren and Red Bull, suggesting the competitive order at the front remains tightly packed heading into 2026.
On the final day, it was Charles Leclerc who set the benchmark for Ferrari with a rapid 1:31.992 lap. Lando Norris followed closely for McLaren, while Max Verstappen and Russell completed the top four. The times indicated that the usual frontrunners remain in strong shape ahead of Melbourne.
Further down the order, midfield teams such as Alpine, Haas, Audi and Williams showed flashes of promise but still appear to have work to do. At the back, Cadillac’s Sergio Perez recorded the slowest timed lap of the day, while several drivers — including Lewis Hamilton — did not set a representative time in the closing session.
It proved to be a particularly challenging test for Aston Martin, with both Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso struggling for track time amid reliability concerns. With testing now complete, teams will analyze their data before the championship battle begins in Australia.
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