Antonelli and Mercedes top final day of first Bahrain test

Mercedes concluded the opening 2026 pre-season test in Bahrain with a commanding 1-2 finish on Friday. Andrea Kimi Antonelli topped the timesheets with a 1m 33.669s, closely followed by teammate George Russell. Lewis Hamilton, in the new Ferrari, secured third, accumulating significant mileage despite a late track stoppage. McLaren's Oscar Piastri impressed with fourth and over 150 laps, showcasing early reliability. Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar placed fifth and sixth for Red Bull, while Esteban Ocon and Oliver Bearman represented Haas. Franco Colapinto (Alpine) and Nico Hülkenberg (Audi) rounded out the top ten. Teams now analyze data before the final test in Sakhir.