Ferrari Dominates Pre-Season F1 Testing in Bahrain 2026, Leclerc Edges Out Rivals by Almost 1 Second

Ferrari capped off the final day of pre-season Formula 1 testing in Bahrain 2026 with a dominant display. Charles Leclerc put on an impressive show, claiming the fastest lap time by a near-1 second margin over his rivals.

The final day of the six-day test schedule at the Bahrain International Circuit came to a close on Friday (February 20, 2026), marking one of the most competitive pre-season testing periods in recent years.

The optimal track conditions in the final hours of the second session were maximized by Ferrari to perform a full performance simulation.

According to Crash, Charles Leclerc held the top spot since the opening session with a time of 1 minute and 33.689 seconds. The time remained as the fastest until the start of the afternoon session.

As the second session progressed, Leclerc tightened his time to 1 minute and 33.162 seconds before posting the best lap of 1 minute and 31.992 seconds just under an hour before the test concluded. The time was ultimately out of reach for his fellow drivers until the session was closed.

Overall, Leclerc completed over 130 laps using the SF-26 car, showcasing a solid combination of performance and reliability from Ferrari as the new season approaches.

World Champion Lando Norris had to settle for second place with a time of 1 minute and 32.871 seconds, trailing Leclerc by 0.879 seconds.

Not a smooth afternoon for Norris. He was absent for the first two hours of the session due to cooling issues with his McLaren.

Although he lost valuable practice time, Norris still managed to complete nearly 50 laps, complementing 66 laps previously noted by his teammate, Oscar Piastri, in the morning session.

Max Verstappen of Red Bull Racing took third place with 65 laps and trailed Leclerc by 1.117 seconds. George Russell became the Mercedes' fastest driver at fourth place.

Pierre Gasly brought Alpine into the top five, followed by Ollie Bearman of Haas and Gabriel Bortoleto, who placed Audi at seventh place.

Andrea Kimi Antonelli finished eighth after his morning session was cut short due to technical issues. Arvid Lindblad made a splash with 165 laps for Racing Bull and took ninth place.

Carlos Sainz rounded out the top 10 for Williams with a total of 141 laps, showcasing impressive consistency over distance.

Meanwhile, pre-season testing turned into a nightmare for Aston Martin. Repeated engine problems and limited power unit components forced Lance Stroll to complete just six laps before the team prematurely brought their program to an end on Friday afternoon.

The 2026 Formula 1 season is set to kick off on March 6-7 in Australia. Ferrari's dominant performance on the final day of pre-season testing has boosted expectations that Leclerc and his team are poised to be serious contenders for the championship title this season.

PT RADIO FISKARIA JAYA SUARA SURABAYA, Suara Surabaya Media www.suarasurabaya.net is a news portal that has been active since 1999, part of Suara Surabaya Media, which was born on June 11, 1983.