Leclerc Tops Bahrain Test as Mercedes and Red Bull Stumble

Charles Leclerc set a commanding pace for Ferrari on the second day of 2026 pre-season testing in Bahrain, while rivals Mercedes and Red Bull faced significant reliability setbacks that disrupted their programs.

Why it matters:

Pre-season testing is the first real indicator of a team's winter progress, and major mechanical issues can derail crucial data-gathering and development time. For Mercedes and Red Bull, early troubles are a worrying sign as they aim to challenge at the front, while Ferrari's strong and reliable start will boost confidence in Maranello.

The details:

• Ferrari's Strong Start: Charles Leclerc, driving the SF-26 for the full day, set a benchmark time of 1:34.273 in the morning session. His time remained unbeaten, finishing over half a second clear of McLaren's Lando Norris.
• Mercedes' Power Unit Woe: Kimi Antonelli's running was limited to just three laps in the morning after a power unit issue emerged on the W17. The team was forced to complete a full power unit change, causing George Russell to miss the first hour of the afternoon session.
• Red Bull's Delayed Start: Isack Hadjar's full-day run was delayed due to issues discovered during the car build on Wednesday night. He eventually completed 87 laps after the lunch break, but his best time was over a second off the leading pace.
• Haas Surprise: Oliver Bearman was the surprise of the day, becoming the first driver to hit 100 laps and finishing third overall in the Haas, just ahead of George Russell.
• Other Incidents: The session saw two red flags: one for Pierre Gasly's Alpine stopping with a drivetrain issue, and another for Valtteri Bottas after bodywork and a wing mirror broke off his Cadillac.

What's next:

Teams have one final day of testing to resolve their issues and gather last-minute data before the season opener. The clock is ticking for Mercedes and Red Bull to understand their reliability gremlins, while Ferrari will look to confirm its promising one-lap pace with consistent long-run performance.