Kimi Antonelli and Mercedes Dominate Final Pre-Season Test Day in Bahrain

In the final day of the 2026 pre-season test in Bahrain, Kimi Antonelli and George Russell showcased Mercedes’ dominance by securing the top two positions on the timing screens. Antonelli set a remarkable time of 1m 33.669s in the afternoon session, following Russell’s impressive morning session where he recorded a time of 1m 33.918s.

Hamilton and Ferrari’s Performance

Lewis Hamilton finished third overall, driving the new Ferrari. His best time was just over half a second slower than Antonelli’s, as he focused on longer runs throughout the day. Near the end of the session, Hamilton experienced a stoppage on track.

Other Key Drivers

McLaren’s Oscar Piastri secured fourth place, demonstrating solid performance during both sessions. He was followed by Red Bull drivers Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar, with Hadjar expressing satisfaction with the team’s new power unit.

Haas drivers Esteban Ocon and Ollie Bearman finished seventh and ninth, sandwiching Alpine’s Franco Colapinto, who placed eighth. Nico Hulkenberg rounded out the top ten for Audi’s debut operation.

Challenges on Track

Several drivers faced challenges during the day, with Alex Albon one of many who locked up and ran off the track close to the session’s end. Albon finished in 11th place, followed closely by Racing Bulls’ Liam Lawson and Carlos Sainz from Williams.

Notable Incidents

• Gabriel Bortoleto from Audi placed 14th.
• Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll commented that his team is currently about four-and-a-half seconds off the pace.
• Valtteri Bottas triggered a red flag during the morning session due to a vehicle issue, but was later able to return to the track.
• Sergio Perez took over driving duties in the afternoon, completing more than a race distance.

Productive Days for Key Competitors

Piastri, Hamilton, Colapinto, and Lawson enjoyed particularly productive test days, each completing significant lap counts. Piastri exceeded 150 laps, and Hamilton, Colapinto, and Lawson all achieved more than two race distances.

Looking Ahead

As the first of the two Bahrain pre-season tests concludes, teams will analyze their data before returning to Sakhir for the final gathering scheduled from February 18 to February 20.