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The sun beat down on the Bahrain International Circuit as the final day of the first 2026 pre-season test got underway, marking a pivotal moment in Formula 1 history. With the sport entering a brave new world of technical regulations—featuring overhauled power units, active aerodynamics, and a completely redesigned chassis—the stakes in Sakhir have never been higher. As the morning session of Practice 3 concluded, the timing sheets offered a glimpse into a potential shift in the pecking order, though as always in testing, the true hierarchy remains shrouded in fuel loads and engine modes. George Russell claimed the headlines for Mercedes, but the four hours of running provided far more than just a fast lap time; they offered a narrative of redemption for some and mounting frustration for others.
After a difficult opening two days characterized by limited mileage and technical gremlins, Mercedes finally found the reliability and pace they had been searching for. George Russell was the standout performer of the morning, clocking a 1m 33.918s to sit at the top of the standings. This wasn't just a "glory run" on low fuel; Russell backed up his pace with a staggering 78 laps, the second-highest total of the session. For a team that had completed the fewest laps of any outfit entering Friday, this was the productive morning Toto Wolff and his engineers desperately needed.
The significance of Russell’s lap cannot be overstated, as it represents the fastest time seen throughout the entirety of the Bahrain test so far. While Mercedes has often played their cards close to their chest in previous years, the 2026 regulations are so transformative that gathering high-speed data is essential. Russell’s former teammate, Lewis Hamilton, sat just under three tenths behind him in second place, creating a nostalgic but fresh look at the top of the monitors.
The contrast within the Mercedes camp is stark. While Russell enjoyed a seamless morning, his young teammate Kimi Antonelli has endured a baptism of fire. The Italian sensation’s running on Wednesday and Thursday was severely compromised by power unit issues, leaving him with only 33 laps to his name. The pressure will now be on the team to ensure Antonelli can replicate Russell’s high-mileage stint when he takes over the W17 in the afternoon.
If Mercedes was the story of the morning, Ferrari remains the story of the test. The Scuderia has looked remarkably "plug-and-play" since the cars first hit the track in Barcelona for the shakedown. Lewis Hamilton, continuing his first official test with the Italian giants, looked comfortable and precise behind the wheel of the SF-26. Completing 50 laps and finishing second on the charts, Hamilton’s presence in red continues to be the focal point of the paddock.
The question on everyone’s lips is whether Ferrari has produced a championship-winning machine for the new era. Unlike some of their rivals, Ferrari has avoided any major reliability scares, allowing Hamilton and Charles Leclerc to focus on performance mapping and tire degradation. Hamilton’s best lap of 1:34.209 suggests that the Ferrari is right in the mix, and more importantly, the car seems to suit his late-braking style—a trait that could be rewarded under the 2026 aero rules.
The atmosphere in the Ferrari garage is one of quiet optimism. They topped the timing sheets yesterday with Leclerc, and Hamilton’s consistency today suggests that the baseline of the car is exceptionally high. With the seven-time champion having not stood on the top step of the podium since 2024, the prospect of a competitive Ferrari in 2026 is a mouth-watering one for the Tifosi.
While the established giants found their feet, the newcomers faced the harsh reality of Formula 1 testing. Cadillac, making their highly anticipated debut this season, suffered a significant setback when Valtteri Bottas ground to a halt on track, triggering the session's only red flag. The veteran Finn stopped in the final sector, forcing a recovery effort that ate into valuable track time.
This was not an isolated incident for the American-led team; Sergio Perez had also faced stoppages earlier in the week. Despite the setback, Cadillac managed to get Bottas back out for the final hour, where he eventually brought his total to 37 laps. However, in a session where others were clearing 70 or 80 laps, Bottas was left playing catch-up. Teaming up with Perez, Bottas brings a wealth of experience to Cadillac, but experience can only do so much when the hardware refuses to cooperate.
The team is essentially learning on the fly. As Cadillac begins to feel their way into the sport, these "teething issues" are to be expected, but with the season opener in Australia looming, the clock is ticking. They did manage 216 laps over the first two days—more than Alpine or Aston Martin—but the morning stoppage served as a reminder of the mountain they have to climb.
Max Verstappen and Red Bull Racing had a relatively quiet morning by their lofty standards. The Dutchman finished third on the timing sheets, over a second back from Russell, but his focus was clearly on long-run data rather than headline times. Verstappen completed 62 laps, methodically working through a program that saw him testing various engine maps for the new 2026 power unit.
Red Bull is splitting their duties today, with Isack Hadjar set to take over in the afternoon. Hadjar, despite losing time yesterday, remains upbeat about the team's progress. The Frenchman noted that the recovery from their earlier issues was impressive, and the car feels "better than expected" given the complexity of the new regulations.
The "Development War" is already in full swing. Teams are no longer waiting for the European season to bring upgrades. Some have already admitted to having new parts ready for Australia based on data gathered during the Barcelona shakedown. In the 2026 era, the rate of development will likely determine the champion, as teams unlock the secrets of the new aero-engine integration.
In terms of pure productivity, Liam Lawson was the hero of the morning. The Racing Bulls driver hammered out 84 laps, the most of anyone on track. Lawson’s workload is vital for the Faenza-based squad as they look to establish themselves as a top-five contender. The Kiwi was seen sliding through the final corner on several occasions, battling a low-grip surface exacerbated by the desert winds blowing sand across the asphalt.
Williams also continued their impressive recovery. After missing the initial shakedown in Barcelona, the Grove-based team has been a model of consistency in Bahrain. Carlos Sainz completed 69 laps this morning, quietly going about his business and placing seventh. Williams entered today having completed the most laps of any team (277), a testament to the build quality of their new challenger.
At Alpine, Franco Colapinto took the reins for the full day. Following Pierre Gasly’s stoppage yesterday, the team needed a clean morning, and the Argentine delivered. Colapinto completed 65 laps, finishing sixth fastest. The Alpine A526 has been seen running various "flow-vis" paint configurations as the team tries to understand the airflow around their revised sidepods.
As the morning session drew to a close, the teams began the process of analyzing the mountain of data gathered. With the track temperature reaching 36 degrees Celsius, the conditions were far from the representative cool of a race evening, but the data remains invaluable.
The schedule for the opening part of the season is relentless. The teams will have a few days of rest before returning to Bahrain next week for the second pre-season test. From there, it is a straight shot to Melbourne for the Australian Grand Prix, followed immediately by a trip to Shanghai for the first Sprint event of the year.
He’s a software engineer with a deep passion for Formula 1 and motorsport. He co-founded Formula Live Pulse to make live telemetry and race insights accessible, visual, and easy to follow.