Charles Leclerc topped the final day of 2026 F1 testing in Bahrain with a scintillating lap. While Max Verstappen and Lando Norris chased, Aston Martin suffered a technical nightmare.
F1 Latest News: Charles Leclerc Tops Bahrain Testing Ahead of Max Verstappen and Lando Norris Aston Martin Struggles (Image Source:X)
The curtain was finally dropped on the F1 2026 pre-season testing at the Sakhir International Circuit on Friday, February 20, with Charles Leclerc being the standout man.
In the final session, the Ferrari driver put on a show, recording a stunning 1:31. 992 to finish the week as the only one breaking the 1m32s barrier.
Leclerc's pace has, undoubtedly, sparked title-winning hopes in Maranello; however, the situation for the runners, up and the troubled Aston Martin team was quite different from the front-runners' race.
Despite a late charge from the defending champion Lando Norris and a thorough program from Max Verstappen, the attention of the whole paddock was constantly drawn to the smoke billowing from the Silverstone, based teams garage.
The teams are now turning their focus towards the season, opening the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, where the 2026 pecking order looks like a reborn Ferrari leading the way, while the rest are left figuring out their critical reliability and supply chain issues.
Debriefing a busy final day of testing with @Charles_Leclerc 👌 pic.twitter.com/iJv1gCOYzX
— Scuderia Ferrari HP (@ScuderiaFerrari) February 20, 2026
Charles Leclerc's ruling at the Sakhir track was just a hint of Ferrari's supremacy under the 2026 aero regulations. He beat Max Verstappen and Lando Norris after doing 132 laps.
Whereas competitors emphasised heavy-fuel simulations, the SF-26's better stability and pace on the straights have made the "Prancing Horse" the absolute favourite now that the Australian Grand Prix is next.
Aston Martin's 2026 campaign took a major blow in Sakhir when the AMR26 was forced to stop after a critical shortage of Honda parts as well as recurrent battery failures. With the least running of any car on the grid, Adrian Newey's project is very much under time pressure if it wants to sort out the technical problems and supply chain issues before the first race of the season in Australia.
| Position | Driver | Team | Best Lap | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1:31.992 | 132 |
| 2 | Lando Norris | McLaren | 1:32.871 | 47 |
| 3 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | 1:33.109 | 65 |
| 4 | George Russell | Mercedes | 1:33.197 | 82 |
| 5 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | 1:33.421 | 118 |
