F1 Bahrain pre-season take a look at: Mercedes pips McLaren by 0.01s, as 4 groups hit hassle

George Russell set the quickest lap of System 1’s Bahrain pre-season testing as far as the second week of operating received underneath means at Sakhir.

The Mercedes driver lapped in 1m33.459s this afternoon, which is 2 tenths quicker than team-mate Kimi Antonelli’s benchmark final week, a 1m33.669s. Each of these have been set with C3 tyres.

Russell wasn’t alone in going considerably quicker than final week, with Piastri gaining an entire second to set a 1m33.469s, additionally on C3 rubber. The Australian topped the timesheet for a while earlier than Russell’s late try pipped him by 0.01s.

Oscar Piastri, McLaren

Picture by: Joe Portlock / LAT Photographs through Getty Photographs

The morning benchmark had been set by Charles Leclerc on prototype rubber in 1m33.739s, which is Ferrari’s quickest lap thus far. Nonetheless, the Scuderia’s day wasn’t trouble-free, as Lewis Hamilton accomplished simply 44 laps within the afternoon. The seven-time world champion spent 90 minutes within the storage on account of an unspecified challenge.

Lando Norris and Antonelli made up the highest 5, with Pink Bull’s Isack Hadjar – the one driver to finish the entire day – down in sixth. Hadjar set a private benchmark of 1m34.260s and coated a meagre – by present requirements – 66 laps, after his morning’s exercise was restricted to 13 laps by a technical challenge associated to the engine’s coolant circuits.

As feared by plenty of midfielders, the hole to the highest groups remained substantial. The fifth-fastest outfit was Williams, with Carlos Sainz in 1m35.113s, 1.654s slower than pacesetter Piastri.

Alpine, Audi and Racing Bulls have been 1.795s, 1.804s and a pair of.294s off, courtesy of kids Franco Colapinto, Gabriel Bortoleto and Liam Lawson respectively.

Among the many remaining three groups – Aston Martin, Haas and Cadillac – two had a noticeably troubled day.

Aston suffered from an influence unit challenge, spending 4 hours within the storage, roughly from 12pm to 4pm native time. When Lance Stroll lastly received the squad’s afternoon programme underneath means, he precipitated a crimson flag, spinning into within the Flip 10 gravel lure after struggling what regarded extra like a technical fault than a driving mistake. The workforce misplaced one other hour and a half, so the AMR26 accomplished simply 54 laps in the present day.

Lance Stroll, Aston Martin Racing

Picture by: Rudy Carezzevoli / Getty Photographs

On the constructive aspect, Aston gained greater than two seconds in comparison with final week, going from 1m38.165s to 1m35.974s.

In the meantime, Cadillac misplaced some three hours because it principally stayed within the storage early in each the morning and afternoon classes – with the morning delay linked to sensor points. Sergio Perez coated simply 24 laps, with Valtteri Bottas on 35; no actually significant lap time was recorded by their yet-to-be-named automotive.

Learn Additionally:

Amid concern relating to the beginning process with F1’s new-for-2026 equipment, a begin sequence was simulated on the very finish of the day, with not one of the 10 automobiles stalling when the lights went out.

F1 Bahrain pre-season take a look at – Day 4 outcomes

Pos
Driver
Automobile / Engine
Time
Hole
Laps

1
George Russell
Mercedes
1’33.459

76

2
Oscar Piastri
McLaren / Mercedes
1’33.469
0.010
70

3
Charles Leclerc
Ferrari
1’33.739
0.280
70

4
Lando Norris
McLaren / Mercedes
1’34.052
0.593
54

5
Kimi Antonelli
Mercedes
1’34.158
0.699
69

6
Isack Hadjar
Pink Bull / Pink Bull Ford
1’34.260
0.801
66

7
Lewis Hamilton
Ferrari
1’34.299
0.840
44

8
Carlos Sainz
Williams / Mercedes
1’35.113
1.654
55

9
Franco Colapinto
Alpine / Mercedes
1’35.254
1.795
60

10
Gabriel Bortoleto
Audi
1’35.263
1.804
71

11
Alexander Albon
Williams / Mercedes
1’35.690
2.231
55

12
Liam Lawson
Racing Bulls / Pink Bull Ford
1’35.753
2.294
61

13
Oliver Bearman
Haas / Ferrari
1’35.778
2.319
42

14
Pierre Gasly
Alpine / Mercedes
1’35.898
2.439
61

15
Lance Stroll
Aston Martin / Honda
1’35.974
2.515
26

16
Esteban Ocon
Haas / Ferrari
1’36.418
2.959
65

17
Fernando Alonso
Aston Martin / Honda
1’36.536
3.077
28

18
Nico Hulkenberg
Audi
1’36.741
3.282
49

19
Arvid Lindblad
Racing Bulls / Pink Bull Ford
1’36.769
3.310
75

20
Valtteri Bottas
Cadillac / Ferrari
1’36.798
3.339
35

21
Sergio Perez
Cadillac / Ferrari
1’38.191
4.732
24

Images from Bahrain Pre-Season Testing – Day 4

Valtteri Bottas, Cadillac Racing