Mercedes driver George Russell set the fastest time on the first day of the final 2026 pre-season test in Bahrain. Russell's lap of 1:33.459 was just 0.010s quicker than McLaren’s Oscar Piastri. This testing session is critical as teams adapt to the all-new 2026 technical regulations. 

While Mercedes showed strong pace, Ferrari encountered its first major reliability hurdle of the pre-season. Lewis Hamilton lost 90 minutes of track time due to a technical issue in the afternoon, though his teammate Charles Leclerc had earlier set the third-fastest time of the day. 

The FIA also trialed a new start procedure during the session. Concerns have been raised that the 2026 power units require more time to prepare for a race start compared to previous engines, leading to the testing of an additional five-second warning before lights out.