F1 2026 Bahrain Pre-Season Test: Antonelli Leads Mercedes 1-2 On Day 3
Antonelli tops Day 3 of F1 2026 Bahrain pre-season test as Mercedes secure a 1-2 finish. Russell second, Hamilton third as teams close first three-day test in Bahrain.
By Divyam Dubey
Andrea Kimi Antonelli led a Mercedes one-two on Day 3 of F1 2026 Bahrain pre-season testing at the Bahrain International Circuit. The final day of the first test ended with the fastest lap of the week as Antonelli moved to the top of the timesheets in the afternoon session, with George Russell holding second after setting the pace in the morning. The result closed the opening three-day run of pre-season testing under the new 2026 regulations.
Also Read: F1 2026 Bahrain Pre-Season Test: Leclerc Leads Norris and Bearman on Day 2
Antonelli set a 1m33.669s lap late in the day to secure the quickest time of Day 3 and of the first test. Russell’s morning benchmark of 1m33.918s kept him second on the final classification. Lewis Hamilton placed third for Ferrari, with Oscar Piastri fourth for McLaren and Max Verstappen fifth for Red Bull by the end of the session. The order reflected different tyre choices, fuel loads and test programmes across teams.
Mercedes split the day between Russell and Antonelli and completed both performance runs and longer stints. Russell logged steady mileage in the morning before Antonelli took over and delivered the fastest lap of the day. The team finished the opening Bahrain test with the quickest single lap across all three days and a consistent run of mileage before the next test.
Ferrari and McLaren focused on long runs and system checks as they worked through tyre data and balance. Red Bull completed longer stints and continued work on energy deployment and set-up. Several teams rotated drivers across sessions to complete planned programmes. Hamilton stopped on track late in the day, bringing out a brief interruption before running resumed.
| Pos | Driver | Team | Laps | Time |
| 1 | Andrea Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | 61 | 1m33.669s |
| 2 | George Russell | Mercedes | 78 | 1m33.918s |
| 3 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | 150 | 1m34.209s |
| 4 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | 161 | 1m34.549s |
| 5 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | 61 | 1m35.341s |
| 6 | Isack Hadjar | Red Bull | 59 | 1m35.610s |
| 7 | Esteban Ocon | Haas | 75 | 1m35.753s |
| 8 | Franco Colapinto | Alpine | 144 | 1m35.806s |
| 9 | Oliver Bearman | Haas | 70 | 1m35.972s |
| 10 | Nico Hulkenberg | Audi | 58 | 1m36.291s |
| 11 | Alexander Albon | Williams | 78 | 1m36.665s |
| 12 | Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls | 119 | 1m36.808s |
| 13 | Carlos Sainz | Williams | 68 | 1m37.186s |
| 14 | Sergio Perez | Cadillac | 67 | 1m37.365s |
| 15 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Audi | 60 | 1m37.536s |
| 16 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | 72 | 1m38.165s |
| 17 | Valtteri Bottas | Cadillac | 37 | 1m38.772s |
The first F1 2026 Bahrain pre-season test now moves to a short gap before the second test at the same circuit. Teams leave the opening phase with data on reliability, tyre behaviour and power unit management. Day 3 ended with Antonelli leading Russell and Mercedes securing the top two positions on the final day of running.
