Leclerc sets the pace on first morning of the second pre-season test in Bahrain

F1 Test, Sakhir, Bahrain International Circuit

Charles Leclerc set the benchmark on Wednesday morning in Bahrain, clocking a 1:33.739 to top the timesheets as pre‑season testing resumed. His lap put him three‑tenths clear of Lando Norris, while Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli followed another tenth behind.

All three drivers completed their morning mileage before handing over to their teammates for the afternoon session.

The morning opened with Esteban Ocon immediately heading out when the pit lane went green at 10:00 local time, beginning a productive run that placed him seventh on the timesheet. Several teams ran with large aerodynamic rakes, prioritizing data collection during their early laps.

Sergio Perez endured the slowest start to the day, remaining in the garage for more than an hour due to sensor issues on his Cadillac‑powered Red Bull. His first installation lap came roughly 75 minutes into the session, leaving him with the fewest laps completed by the chequered flag.

As the track evolved, drivers began pushing harder. Nico Hülkenberg briefly dipped two wheels into the gravel, while Fernando Alonso and 2026 rookie Arvid Lindblad each had lively moments at the final corner. Despite the scare, Lindblad logged the highest lap count of the morning, completing a full race distance for Racing Bulls.

Behind the leading trio of Leclerc, Norris, and Antonelli, Williams continued building mileage after missing the Barcelona shakedown, with Alex Albon taking fourth. Pierre Gasly placed Alpine fifth, and Isack Hadjar—despite losing time to garage work—secured sixth for Red Bull.

Hülkenberg and Alonso slotted into the lower half of the top ten, while Perez rounded out the order after gradually adding laps once his car returned to full running.