P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Red Bull and Aston Martin were among the teams that lost significant track time in a first session of the second Bahrain F1 2026 test where Charles Leclerc was fastest for Ferrari
In the first session of the second Bahrain Formula 1 test in 2026, Red Bull and Aston Martin faced significant track time losses while Charles Leclerc set the fastest time for Ferrari. Leclerc’s 1m33.739s was the team’s best pre-season time on mid-range C3 compound tires, with Lando Norris of McLaren in second place at 1m34.052s on C2 tires. Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli was close behind Leclerc at 1m34.158s.
Despite recording strong performances, Red Bull, Williams, and Alpine found themselves behind in terms of mileage compared to other teams. Isack Hadjar of Red Bull completed the fewest laps, and Sergio Perez of Red Bull struggled, finishing with the slowest time of the session. Fernando Alonso of Aston Martin encountered issues and did not return to the track after initially showing promise.
The Bahrain test session proceeded without major halts, apart from routine red flags, showcasing Leclerc’s dominance at the top of the standings, followed by Norris and Antonelli. The test results indicate a competitive season ahead with teams like Ferrari, McLaren, and Mercedes showing early strength in performance and consistency.
