Day 2 Morning Session: Leclerc Leads Bahrain Pre‑Season Test

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc topped the Bahrain pre‑season test morning with a 1:34.273 lap, half a second faster than McLaren’s Lando Norris. Alpine’s Pierre Gasly was a further 2.5 seconds off the pace. Red Bull and Mercedes were absent, leaving a data gap for the season‑leading teams.

Why it matters:

Testing is the first chance to see how the new 2026 regulations affect performance. Ferrari’s early speed hints at a strong baseline, while the silence from Red Bull and Mercedes leaves their 2026 power‑unit progress in the dark. Those gaps could shape development priorities before the season opener.

The details:

• Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – 62 laps, best 1:34.273, fastest of the session.
• Lando Norris (McLaren) – 64 laps, best 1:34.773, 0.5 s off Leclerc.
• Pierre Gasly (Alpine) – 61 laps, best ≈1:36.8, ~2.5 s behind.
• Red Bull and Mercedes missed the four‑hour run, leaving no fresh data on their 2026 power‑unit or aero packages.

What's next:

The final two days of Bahrain testing will see Red Bull and Mercedes finally take to the track, while Ferrari and Alpine fine‑tune their setups. Data from these sessions will inform early‑season development and could reveal which teams have the edge heading into the 2026 Australian Grand Prix.