Leclerc fastest midday in Bahrain on final day of testing

Ferrari laid down another statement in the opening session of Friday’s final day of pre-season testing in Bahrain, with Charles Leclerc surging to the top of the timesheets while Mercedes endured its first on-track breakdown of 2026.

Leclerc was in commanding form from the outset, clocking a 1m33.689s inside the first hour that would remain unbeaten through to the chequered flag. More impressively, the Monegasque racked up 80 laps in four productive hours, giving Ferrari both pace and mileage as testing entered its final stretch.

It was a sharp contrast to Mercedes, which had quietly impressed across the winter despite downplaying its prospects.

With just under two hours remaining, Andrea Kimi Antonelli ground to a halt between Turns 10 and 11, triggering a red flag. The stoppage was brief, but terminal for the Italian’s morning.

Mercedes later confirmed a loss of pneumatic pressure caused the shutdown. Although Antonelli still secured second place on the timesheets with a 1m33.916s from 49 laps, he did not return to the track and will next drive the car in FP1 in Melbourne on March 6.

George Russell is set to take over for the afternoon session.

Ocon Leads the Lap Count

Behind the top two, Oscar Piastri slotted into third for McLaren, 0.663s adrift after a busy 66-lap programme.

Esteban Ocon continued Haas’ quietly encouraging test, completing a session-high 82 laps to underline the team’s growing reliability. Isack Hadjar was fifth for Red Bull on 59 tours, followed by Alpine’s Pierre Gasly and Racing Bulls rookie Arvid Lindblad.

Carlos Sainz logged steady mileage for Williams, while Nico Hulkenberg kept Audi in the mix inside the top 10. Cadillac’s Sergio Perez recovered from a slow start to post 61 laps by the end of the session.

Aston Martin’s Pre-Season Woes Continue

If Ferrari enjoyed a seamless morning, Aston Martin endured another bruising one. Lance Stroll managed just two laps as the Honda-powered AMR26 remained largely confined to the garage.

A battery issue – linked to problems that struck Fernando Alonso on Thursday – combined with limited power unit parts and ongoing simulations at Honda’s Sakura base to severely restrict running.

With testing resuming at 12pm local time, the final opportunity to fine-tune packages before Melbourne is slipping away fast for some — while others, notably Ferrari, appear to be finishing the week on the front foot.

Bahrain Test - Day 5: Provisional times midday

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