George Russell set the pace on the opening day of the second 2026 Formula 1 pre-season test in Bahrain, finishing ahead of McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc. Leclerc initially led the morning session with a lap of 1m 33.739s, but as the afternoon unfolded, Russell claimed P1 with a 1m 33.459s, edging Piastri by just 0.010 seconds. Russell also completed the most laps of the day, totaling 76, demonstrating both speed and reliability for Mercedes.
The day featured driver rotations for nearly all teams except Red Bull, where Isack Hadjar remained behind the wheel after limited morning track time due to car adjustments. Early afternoon laps were cautious, with teams testing aero updates using flow-vis paint and rakes. The session was briefly interrupted when Lance Stroll’s Aston Martin ended up in the gravel at Turn 11, causing a red flag. Stroll later returned to the track after a morning power unit issue had kept teammate Fernando Alonso sidelined.
George Russell (NFL)Drivers Push Limits as Piastri Tops Timesheets in Evening Bahrain Session
As the sun set, conditions became more representative of race settings, and Piastri moved briefly to the top of the timesheets with a 1m 33.469s lap. Drivers also used the session to simulate racing scenarios, practice starts, and run closely behind rivals. Some drivers, including Russell and Alpine’s Franco Colapinto, experienced minor lock-ups while pushing their cars.
By the end of Day 1, the top ten were: Russell, Piastri, Leclerc, McLaren’s Lando Norris, Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli, Hadjar, Lewis Hamilton, Williams’ Carlos Sainz, Colapinto, and Audi’s Gabriel Bortoleto. Other notable performers included Alex Albon, Liam Lawson, Pierre Gasly, and Stroll. Alonso and Nico Hulkenberg logged fewer laps, while Cadillac drivers Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez completed the order.
With just two and a half pre-season testing days remaining before the season opener in Australia on March 6-8, teams will return to Bahrain for a second day of running. Max Verstappen is expected to take over from Hadjar at Red Bull, adding further intrigue to the ongoing preparations ahead of the 2026 campaign.
