Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc topped the final day of F1’s pre-season test schedule with the fastest time of the six days, posting a time of 1:31.992 to end the week as the only driver below the 1m32s mark. 

Leclerc led the way throughout the final day, using C3 compound Pirelli tyres to get down to 1:32.655. He then moved a step softer to C4 tyres and eventually posted his test best time. 

Following the Monegasque drive on the final day timesheet was defending world champion Lando Norris. The Briton was at the wheel of the MCL40 in the afternoon and though he missed the first two hours of his final test outing he then used C3 compound tyres to slot into P2 with a lap of. Overall, that left Norris as the fourth quickest driver of the test. 

Kimi Antonelli was the test’s second quickest man, with the Mercedes driver posting a lap of 1:32.803 on C3 tyres on Day 2. Norris’ team-mate Oscar Piastri was third quickest overall with a Day 2 time of 1:32.861. Piastri ended day 3 in P11 on 1:34.352. 

Last year’s championship runner-up Max Verstappen was third quickest on the final day. The Dutchman posted a best lap of 1:33.109 on Pirelli’s prototype tyres and that left him fifth fastest across the test. 

Friday’s fourth-fastest driver was Mercedes’ George Russell who set a time of 1:33.197. That was four places ahead of Antonelli who ran in the morning. The Italian had a tricky session, however, and a pneumatic pressure problem on his car brought out the red flags. The W17 then needed a power unit change before Russell took over. 

Pierre Gasly put some gloss on Alpine’s week by bolting on the softest Pirelli tyre, the C5, and setting a time of 1:33.421. That put him fifth on the timesheet, 0.066s clear of Haas’ Oliver Bearman, who used C3s tyres for his best lap. 

Gabriel Bortoleto took Audi’s R26 to P7 with a C4 lap of 1:33.755, while 2026 rookie Arvid Lindblad, finished eighth on 1:34.149 after putting in a marathon 165 laps for Racing Bulls. The top 10 order was rounded out by Williams’ Carlos Sainz. 

Further back there were more woes for Aston Martin. Lance Stroll managed just six untimed laps for the Silverstone-based team as an engine parts shortage stemming from Fernando Alonso’s battery issues on Thursday, left the team unable to run for more. 

FIA Formula 1 Pre-Season Test, Bahrain 2 – Day 3
1 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:31.992s 132
2 Lando Norris McLaren 1:32.871s 47
3 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 1:33.109s 65
4 George Russell Mercedes 1:33.197s 82
5 Pierre Gasly Alpine 1:33.421s 118
6 Oliver Bearman Haas 1:33.487s 88
7 Gabriel Bortoleto 1:33.755s 71
8 Kimi Antonelli Mercedes 1:33.916s 49
9 Arvid Lindblad Racing Bulls 1:34.149s 165
10 Carlos Sainz Williams 1:34.342s 141
11 Oscar Piastri McLaren 1:34.352s 66
12 Esteban Ocon Haas 1:34.494s 82
13 Isack Hadjar Red Bull Racing 1:34.511s 59
14 Valtteri Bottas Cadillac 1:35.290s 38
15 Nico Hülkenberg Audi 1:36.019s 64
16 Sergio Perez Cadillac 1:40.842s 61
17 Lance Stroll Aston Martin No Time 6