MOTORSPORT – FORMULA One’s big guns continued to lead the way yesterday as F1 Aramco Pre-Season Testing 2026 continued at Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) in Sakhir, with Charles Leclerc powering Ferrari to the top of the timesheet on day two of action.
The Monegasque superstar was in the cockpit of his SF-26 car for a full day’s running, setting a fastest lap time of one minute 34.273 seconds around BIC’s 5.412-kilometre track during the morning session, which took place in warm and sunny conditions.
Leclerc led reigning F1 drivers’ world champion Lando Norris of McLaren on the final classification, with just 0.511 seconds separating the pair.
They, along with Oliver Bearman of Haas who ranked third 1.121s from Norris, were among six drivers who completed a full day’s programme, gathering valuable data in their all-new, completely redesigned cars as they gear up for the top flight’s ‘new era’ beginning in the 2026 FIA F1 World Championship. Leclerc racked up 139 laps in all, Norris had 149 as the busiest man of the day, and Bearman was on 130 laps in his VF-26.
“My running for this first test is now complete,” said Leclerc, who downplayed his pace-setting performance. “We’ve completed the programme without issues, which is always a positive.
“It’s always nice to look at the lap times, but in testing they don’t really mean much – the focus has to stay on ourselves and our work.
“The feeling in the car is okay, but it’s still very early days. Today was about putting in as many laps as possible and completing all the tests we had planned. Now we keep working and continue building step by step.”
George Russell in Mercedes’s F1 W17 followed 1.193s from Leclerc in fourth after running in the cooler evening session, while Isack Hadjar was in Red Bull’s RB22 for his first action in Bahrain. Hadjar finished 2.288s from the top as he was also at work the full day, although he registered just one lap in the morning.
Gabriel Bortoleto (+2.397s) in Audi’s R26 was sixth-quickest testing under BIC’s bright, state-of-the-art floodlights, Pierre Gasly (+2.450s) in Alpine’s A526 finished seventh also going for the full day, Valtteri Bottas (+2.551s) in Cadillac’s CA01 came eighth after being out on track in the evening, Alexander Albon (+2.956s) was ninth following his morning testing in Williams’s FW48, and Nico Hulkenberg (+2.993s) was classified 10th after also being in action in the morning.
Completing the second day’s classification from 11th to 16th, respectively, were Arvid Lindblad for Racing Bulls, Carlos Sainz for Williams, Liam Lawson for Racing Bulls, Fernando Alonso for Aston Martin, and Sergio Perez for Cadillac.
Kimi Antonelli also got out on track today for Mercedes but only had three laps in the morning and didn’t set a time.
F1 Aramco Pre-Season Testing 2026 continues today at BIC. It will be the final day of the first three-day session in Sakhir, which is to be followed by another three days of running next week from 18 to 20 February.
Today is another day open to fans, who are the first in the world to witness in person the next generation of F1 cars in action ahead of the start of the new season. BIC’s gates are scheduled to open at 11am and close at 7pm.
patrick@gdnmedia.bh
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