HIGHLIGHTS: Catch up on the action from Day 1 of the second 2026 pre-season test in Bahrain
F1 drivers and teams returned to action at the Bahrain International Circuit on Wednesday.
George Russell and Mercedes topped the timesheets as the second and final pre-season test of 2026 kicked off in Bahrain – leading the way from McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.
Russell worked his way down to a best time of 1m 33.459s across Wednesday afternoon’s session, putting him just 0.010s clear of Piastri, and just under three-tenths up on Leclerc.
There were plenty of slips and slides throughout the day as drivers pushed the limits of their new cars, including a spin for Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll that brought out the red flags.
Watch the highlights from Day 1 of the final 2026 pre-season test in Bahrain at the top of the page.
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