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.

Feb 18, 2026 6:22pm UTC

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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