The final day of the opening pre-season test in Bahrain began at full throttle, with George Russell setting the benchmark as teams continued to gather crucial data ahead of next week’s second test.
With just one more session remaining before a brief turnaround, Friday morning offered the final opportunity of this first test to refine set-ups under Formula 1’s sweeping 2026 regulations.
Russell quickest as Mercedes respond
Russell topped the session for Mercedes with a 1m 33.918s, the fastest lap of the test so far. It marked a strong response from the Silver Arrows after reliability concerns across the opening two days left them with the lowest lap count of any team heading into Friday.
The Briton completed 78 laps in a productive stint, comfortably exceeding race distance as Mercedes attempt to claw back lost mileage. Lewis Hamilton was second for Ferrari, just 0.291s adrift, continuing the Scuderia’s quietly impressive week.
Max Verstappen finished third for Red Bull, over a second off the pace, though outright times remain largely irrelevant given unknown fuel loads and varied run plans.
Early red flag for Cadillac
There was early drama when Valtteri Bottas stopped his Cadillac on track, triggering a red flag. It was the second stoppage in as many days for the new team, highlighting minor reliability gremlins during their debut test.
The Finn eventually returned to action but ended the session with the lowest lap tally.
Aero focus and data gathering
As expected on a test morning, lap times were secondary to data collection. Both Ferrari and McLaren ran aero rakes early on, while flow-vis paint was widely used to analyse airflow structures under the radically revised chassis and active aerodynamics.
Oscar Piastri, in the car all day for McLaren, logged steady mileage as the reigning champions continued their trouble-free run. The team have already amassed more than 260 laps across the first two days.
Aston Martin were also seen trialling different engine cover configurations as they evaluate cooling solutions in 36 degree track temperatures.
Alpine back on track
After Pierre Gasly’s stoppage under the lights on Thursday, Alpine appeared to have resolved their issue. Franco Colapinto completed solid mileage in the morning and will remain in the cockpit all day.
Elsewhere, Williams continued their strong recovery from missing the Barcelona shakedown. Carlos Sainz added 50 laps in the morning, contributing to what has already been the highest overall lap total of any team across the first two days.
Grip and balance under scrutiny
The reduced downforce and active aero package again drew attention, with several drivers experiencing minor slides as they explored the limits. Piastri locked up into a braking zone, while Gabriel Bortoleto wrestled a twitchy Audi through the final corner.
Drivers and engineers alike are still adjusting to cars that promise greater straight-line speed but less stability through slower turns.
Morning classification
- George Russell, Mercedes – 1m 33.918s
- Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari +0.291s
- Max Verstappen, Red Bull +1.423s
- Oliver Bearman, Haas +2.054s
- Oscar Piastri, McLaren +2.472s
- Franco Colapinto, Alpine +2.956s
- Carlos Sainz, Williams +3.268s
- Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls +3.320s
- Gabriel Bortoleto, Audi +3.618s
- Lance Stroll, Aston Martin +4.505s
- Valtteri Bottas, Cadillac +4.854s
With one final afternoon session to come before teams pack up and prepare for next week’s second test, the early signs suggest a tightly matched field heading into Formula 1’s new era.
