P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Charles Leclerc set the fastest lap of F1 2026 pre-season testing so far.
During the second and final F1 2026 pre-season test in Bahrain, Charles Leclerc set the pace for Ferrari by posting the fastest lap time of 1m33.739s, breaking the 1m34 mark. Leclerc was followed closely by Lando Norris of McLaren and Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes.
This test is crucial for the teams as they adapt to the biggest regulation changes in F1 history before the upcoming 2026 season. Williams’ Alex Albon trailed significantly behind the top three, with Pierre Gasly of Alpine following closely behind.
Red Bull faced challenges with a water system issue that limited Isack Hadjar to just 13 laps, while Aston Martin encountered problems with their new Honda power unit, sidelining Fernando Alonso for much of the morning.
The morning session also saw Sergio Perez joining late and completing only 24 laps in his Cadillac, setting the slowest time among the 11 runners. With Lewis Hamilton scheduled to take part in the afternoon session, the test day in Bahrain continues at 12 pm UK time.
