Autobayng News Team
Ferrari ended pre-season testing with comfortably the quickest time around the Bahrain International Circuit.
Charles Leclerc used the softer C4 tyres to set the benchmark lap time of 1’31.992 less than half an hour before the chequered flag fell. Most teams used harder rubber to set their best times.
The second-fastest time of the test was Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s 1’32.803, which the Mercedes driver set yesterday. A loss of pneumatic pressure cut his running short today, but team mate George Russell joined the track soon after the lunch break finished. He ended the day fourth in the times sheets.
Lando Norris was second-fastest for McLaren but, like Mercedes, they did not improve on their best time on the final day. Max Verstappen took five-hundredths of a second off Red Bull’s quickest lap, leaving him third.
Pierre Gasly and Oliver Bearman set new benchmark times for their respective teams, ending the test fifth and sixth. Gabriel Bortoleto put Audi in a promising seventh ahead of Antonelli.
Racing Bulls and Williams also set their fastest times of the test, though Carlos Sainz Jnr was only 10th fastest for the latter in his FW48.
Aston Martin failed to set a time, having begun the day warning a shortage of parts would constrain their running following their latest Honda engine problem yesterday. Lance Stroll covered just six tours of the track in his AMR26, at which point the team said it had done all the mileage it expected to and did not return to the track.
The cars will next share a track at the opening practice session for the Australian Grand Prix in two weeks’ time.
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Pre-season test day three results
| Pos. | Car number | Driver | Team | Model | Best time | Gap | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | SF-26 | 1’31.992 | 132 | |
| 2 | 1 | Lando Norris | McLaren | MCL40 | 1’32.871 | 0.879 | 47 |
| 3 | 3 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | RB22 | 1’33.109 | 1.117 | 65 |
| 4 | 63 | George Russell | Mercedes | W17 | 1’33.197 | 1.205 | 82 |
| 5 | 10 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | A526 | 1’33.421 | 1.429 | 118 |
| 6 | 87 | Oliver Bearman | Haas | VF-26 | 1’33.487 | 1.495 | 88 |
| 7 | 5 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Audi | R26 | 1’33.755 | 1.763 | 71 |
| 8 | 12 | Andrea Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | W17 | 1’33.916 | 1.924 | 49 |
| 9 | 41 | Arvid Lindblad | Racing Bulls | 03 | 1’34.149 | 2.157 | 165 |
| 10 | 55 | Carlos Sainz Jnr | Williams | FW48 | 1’34.342 | 2.350 | 141 |
| 11 | 81 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | MCL40 | 1’34.352 | 2.360 | 66 |
| 12 | 31 | Esteban Ocon | Haas | VF-26 | 1’34.494 | 2.502 | 82 |
| 13 | 6 | Isack Hadjar | Red Bull | RB22 | 1’34.511 | 2.519 | 59 |
| 14 | 77 | Valtteri Bottas | Cadillac | 1’35.290 | 3.298 | 38 | |
| 15 | 27 | Nico Hulkenberg | Audi | R26 | 1’36.019 | 4.027 | 64 |
| 16 | 11 | Sergio Perez | Cadillac | 1’40.842 | 8.850 | 61 | |
| 17 | 18 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | AMR26 | 6 |
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Formula 1
- Pictures: 2026 F1 pre-season test three, days two and three: Bahrain
- Leclerc leads times on final day as stoppage ends Antonelli’s test early
- Power unit problems limit Aston Martin to short runs on final day of test
- Antonelli keeps Mercedes on top as Aston Martin stop again on penultimate test day
- Norris sets new benchmark as Ferrari debuts novel rear wing design in test
