Kimi Antonelli led Mercedes to a dominant 1-2 finish on Bahrain F1 test Day 3 as Lewis Hamilton triggered a late red flag wrapping up the first week of 2026 Formula 1 pre-season testing.
Antonelli set a blistering lap of 1m33.669s during afternoon session which was 0.249s quicker than team-mate George Russell who topped the morning session, marking a solid performance turnaround for the Silver Arrows after a disappointing run on Thursday due to power unit issues.
The standout result came amid notable struggles for Cadillac and Aston Martin, highlighting the varied fortunes across the grid during the three-day event at the Sakhir International Circuit.
As teams wrapped up the opening test ahead of a second session from February 18-20, the headlines were firmly centered on the young Italian driver’s blistering pace which underscored Mercedes’ thorough preparation and adaptability under the new 2026 Formula 1 regulations.
The day kicked off with George Russell at the wheel of the Mercedes W17 and the British driver took barely an hour to set the week’s benchmark by dipping into the 1:33s barrier, clocking a blistering 1m33.918s across 78 laps.
Russell’s lap, set on what appeared to be a qualifying simulation with optimal tire preparation and full energy deployment from the M17 E Performance power unit, showcased the car’s exceptional aerodynamic efficiency and straight-line speed.
Kimi Antonelli took over the Mercedes W17 in the afternoon, and within no time the 19-year old Italian prodigy dipped below the 1m34s barrier before overcoming his teammate’s benchmark with a stunning 1m33.669s flyer on his 49th lap.
Antonelli’s lap, achieved after missing the first 90 minutes due to a minor delay, featured aggressive braking into Turn 1 and superior rotation through the low-speed complex, signaling Mercedes’ mastery of the new rules.
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Meanwhile, Ferrari’s run in Bahrain F1 test Day 3 was a tale of highs and abrupt lows with Lewis Hamilton delivering the third-fastest time across a marathon 138 laps in the SF-26.
His afternoon efforts on the Ferrari 067/6 power unit pushed closer to the front, but disaster struck with just 10 minutes left when a suspected fuel system issue forced him to pull off at Turn 8, triggering a late red flag.
Cadillac‘s woes continued unabated with Valtteri Bottas grinding to a stop at Turn 11—after just eight laps—due to ECU overheating issue. The incident brought out the first red flag as the team spent nearly two hours fixing the issue, limiting the driver to just 37 laps for the day.
Sergio Perez fared marginally better with 62 laps in the Ferrari-powered Cadillac but vibration harmonics and reliability plagued the newcomer, limiting their data acquisition and fueling concerns over their readiness.
Aston Martin languished at the bottom, Lance Stroll’s undisclosed afternoon issue sidelining him for hours, resulting in only 69 laps and a distant 15th, 4.496s off Antonelli’s pace.
Reports pointed to a triple nightmare of gearbox sync problems, Honda RA626H thermal bottlenecks, and excess weight above the minimum limit, costing seconds per lap and validating Stroll’s pre-test admission of performance deficits.
The Aston Martin AMR26 struggled with balance despite Adrian Newey’s input, exacerbating their challenging start to 2026.
READ MORE:
Full 2026 Bahrain F1 pre-season test Day 3 Results
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