P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Mercedes driver George Russell’s lap from the second hour of running remained the time to beat midway through the final day of the first Bahrain Formula 1 2026 test
George Russell’s impressive lap time of 1m33.918s on the soft C3 tire in the second hour of testing was the benchmark on the final day of the Bahrain Formula 1 2026 test. It was notably the only lap below the 1m34s mark, showcasing Mercedes’ potential. Lewis Hamilton followed with a time of 1m34.209s, securing the second-fastest time for Ferrari. Max Verstappen, Ollie Bearman, and Oscar Piastri completed the top five, with Franco Colapinto making significant improvements with the sixth best time. Liam Lawson led in productivity with 84 laps, while Valtteri Bottas faced challenges with the slowest time and fewer laps completed.
