2026 F1 pre-season testing results: Russell tops first day of second test
12 February 2026The second and final Bahrain test of 2026 F1 pre-season testing began with Mercedes once again setting the early pace, as George Russell topped the timesheets on Day 1 ahead of Oscar Piastri and Charles Leclerc.
After Leclerc led the way during the morning session with a lap of 1:33.739, conditions cooled in the afternoon and lap times began to fall. Russell ultimately emerged fastest, posting a 1:33.459 to secure top spot as the sun set over the Bahrain International Circuit.
2026 F1 pre-season testing results
Pos | Driver | Team | Time |
1 | George Russell | Mercedes | 1:33.459 |
2 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | 1:33.469 |
3 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1:33.739 |
4 | Lando Norris | McLaren | 1:34.052 |
5 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | 1:34.158 |
6 | Isack Hadjar | Red Bull | 1:34.260 |
7 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | 1:34.299 |
8 | Carlos Sainz | Williams | 1:35.113 |
9 | Franco Colapinto | Alpine | 1:35.254 |
10 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Audi | 1:35.263 |
11 | Alexander Albon | Williams | 1:35.690 |
12 | Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls | 1:35.753 |
13 | Oliver Bearman | Haas | 1:35.778 |
14 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | 1:35.898 |
15 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | 1:35.974 |
16 | Esteban Ocon | Haas | 1:36.418 |
17 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | 1:36.536 |
18 | Nico Hulkenberg | Audi | 1:36.741 |
19 | Arvid Lindblad | Racing Bulls | 1:36.769 |
20 | Valtteri Bottas | Cadillac | 1:36.798 |
21 | Sergio Perez | Cadillac | 1:38.191 |
22 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | - |
Mercedes picks up where they left off
Russell’s lap was just 0.010 seconds quicker than Piastri’s best effort for McLaren, with the Australian briefly holding top spot in more representative evening conditions. Leclerc’s morning time remained good enough for third, as Ferrari again focused on gathering plenty of data.
Mercedes also enjoyed a productive day in terms of mileage, clocking 145 laps – the most of any team – while Russell completed 76 laps, the highest individual total of the session.
Interrupted running but steady progress
Most teams opted to switch drivers between the morning and afternoon sessions, Red Bull the lone exception, as Isack Hadjar remained in the car throughout after losing out on valuable laps earlier in the day.
The afternoon session was briefly halted when Lance Stroll slid into the gravel at Turn 11, triggering a red flag. Several drivers pushed harder in the closing stages, with lock-ups for the likes of Franco Colapinto and Russell, while others practised close running and race-start procedures.
