The six-day Formula 1 pre-season test at the Bahrain International Circuit concluded in dramatic fashion as Charles Leclerc posted the fastest overall lap of the test during the final hour of running.

Driving for Scuderia Ferrari, the Monegasque driver clocked a blistering 1:31.992s on the new Pirelli C4 compound, improving on the previous benchmark set by Kimi Antonelli by eight-tenths of a second. Leclerc’s late surge ensured Ferrari ended two weeks of testing at the top of the timesheets.

Norris, Verstappen and Russell Close Behind

Leclerc finished ahead of Lando Norris of McLaren, who recorded a 1:32.871s, followed by reigning world champion Max Verstappen of Red Bull Racing with a 1:33.109s. George Russell put his Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team fourth fastest with a 1:33.197s.

All three challengers set their quickest laps on the C3 compound but were unable to surpass Leclerc’s best C3 time of 1:32.655s, underlining Ferrari’s strong pace across multiple tyre compounds.

Mixed Strategies on the Softest Compounds

Pierre Gasly posted a 1:33.421s on the C5 compound, marking the best time among those running the softest tyre available. Teams including Alpine F1 Team and Williams Racing conducted short performance runs on C5s, while Cadillac opted not to repeat its previous experiment.

Aston Martin F1 Team, however, did not utilise the C5 tyre at all. The team associated with renowned designer Adrian Newey completed only six laps on C3 tyres before halting track activity for the remainder of the day.

Harder Compounds and Long-Run Focus

On the harder tyre selections, Gabriel Bortoleto led the way on the C1 compound with a 1:37.294s, while Arvin Lindblad of Racing Bulls topped the C2 times with a 1:35.238s.

Several high-profile names did not take to the track on the final day, including Fernando Alonso, Alex Albon, Liam Lawson, Franco Colapinto and Lewis Hamilton.

As in previous sessions, teams balanced outright performance runs with long-distance simulations. Notable endurance stints included 25 laps by Bortoleto on C2 tyres for Audi and 24 laps by Esteban Ocon of Haas F1 Team on C1 tyres. Ocon was also the only driver to test the Intermediate tyres, completing four laps to evaluate front wing behaviour in changing conditions.

Ferrari Sends Strong Signal Ahead of Season Opener

Leclerc’s commanding pace on multiple compounds, particularly the new Pirelli C4, sends a clear message ahead of the Formula 1 season opener. While testing times can be influenced by fuel loads and run plans, Ferrari’s consistency across tyre selections positions them as strong contenders heading into the new campaign.

With teams now turning their focus to race preparation, Bahrain testing has provided early hints of a tightly contested Formula 1 season.