Ferrari has achieved the quickest lap in Method 1’s 2026 pre-season testing, courtesy of Charles Leclerc.
The eight-time grand prix winner topped the timesheet all through the day. He was quickest within the morning with a 1m33.689s; within the afternoon, he successively introduced this benchmark right down to 1m33.629s, 1m33.162s and 1m32.655s with C3 rubber.
Leclerc then bolted on C4 tyres and lapped in 1m32.297s, then 1m31.992s.
No person else beat Kimi Antonelli’s 1m32.803s reference from yesterday, with Lando Norris closest. The McLaren driver, who didn’t run within the first two hours of the afternoon, ended up 9 tenths adrift of Leclerc in 1m32.871s, with the C3 compound.
Crimson Bull took third with Max Verstappen in 1m33.109s on Pirelli’s prototype tyres, the identical utilized by Mercedes’ George Russell to set a 1m33.197s. It was a trickier day than regular for the Silver Arrow; it brought about a crimson flag within the morning session with Antonelli on the wheel, due a lack of pneumatic strain, and consequently needed to bear an influence unit change.
Alpine topped the midfield courtesy of a late effort by Pierre Gasly on C5 rubber, the softest in Pirelli’s vary, which yielded a 1m33.421s. That was simply 0.066s sooner than Haas’ Oliver Bearman, who set his personal benchmark utilizing C3s in a 170-lap day for the staff.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Photograph by: Steven Tee / LAT Photos by way of Getty Photos
Audi was seventh-fastest with Gabriel Bortoleto lapping in 1m33.755s on the C4 compound.
The one rookie on the grid, Arvid Lindblad, actually made positive he was bodily prepared for his step as much as F1, overlaying a exceptional 165 laps by himself (555mi, 893km) on his approach to a 1m34.149s – two tenths faster than Carlos Sainz.
Then it was the now-usual suspects on the backside of the classification. As has turn into customary, Cadillac didn’t take to the monitor for the primary 100 minutes of the day; the American squad nonetheless accomplished 99 laps and Valtteri Bottas set its quickest time to date, however that’s only a 1m35.290s, one second away from the midfield.
In the meantime, Aston Martin accomplished simply six laps with Lance Stroll, setting no lap occasions, as an engine elements scarcity ensued from the battery-related difficulty Fernando Alonso suffered yesterday.
F1 Bahrain pre-season testing – Day 6 outcomes
| Driver | Automotive | staff – Engine | Finest lap Time | Laps | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari SF-26 | Ferrari 067/6 | 1m31.992s | 132 |
| 2 | Lando Norris | McLaren MCL40 | Mercedes F1 M17 E Efficiency | 1m32.871s | 47 |
| 3 | Max Verstappen | Crimson Bull RB22 | Crimson Bull Ford DM01 | 1m33.109s | 65 |
| 4 | George Russell | Mercedes F1 W17 E Efficiency | Mercedes F1 M17 E Efficiency | 1m33.197s | 82 |
| 5 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine A526 | Mercedes F1 M17 E Efficiency | 1m33.421s | 118 |
| 6 | Oliver Bearman | Haas VF-26 | Ferrari 067/6 | 1m33.487s | 88 |
| 7 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Audi R26 | Audi AFR 26 Hybrid | 1m33.755s | 71 |
| 8 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes F1 W17 E Efficiency | Mercedes F1 M17 E Efficiency | 1m33.916s | 49 |
| 9 | Arvid Lindblad | Racing Bulls VCARB 03 | Crimson Bull Ford DM01 | 1m34.149s | 165 |
| 10 | Carlos Sainz | Williams FW48 | Mercedes F1 M17 E Efficiency | 1m34.342s | 141 |
| 11 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren MCL40 | Mercedes F1 M17 E Efficiency | 1m34.352s | 66 |
| 12 | Esteban Ocon | Haas VF-26 | Ferrari 067/6 | 1m34.494s | 82 |
| 13 | Isack Hadjar | Crimson Bull RB22 | Crimson Bull Ford DM01 | 1m34.511s | 59 |
| 14 | Valtteri Bottas | Cadillac CA01 | Ferrari 067/6 | 1m35.290s | 38 |
| 15 | Nico Hülkenberg | Audi R26 | Audi AFR 26 Hybrid | 1m36.019s | 64 |
| 16 | Sergio Perez | Cadillac CA01 | Ferrari 067/6 | 1m40.842s | 61 |
| 17 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin AMR26 | Honda RA626H | No time | 6 |
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