F1 TEST BAHRAIN, DAY 3: ANTONELLI LEADS THE WAY AS MERCEDES SENDS A STRONG STATEMENT

The third and final day of the opening week of official pre-season testing in Bahrain came to a close with a headline result — though perhaps not an entirely unexpected one. Andrea Kimi Antonelli stole the spotlight at Sakhir, setting the fastest time of the day and capping off a session in which he was finally able to log substantial mileage after limited running on Wednesday and Thursday.

After two challenging days, the 19-year-old from Bologna was finally able to showcase the full potential of the Mercedes W17, putting together a solid race simulation and delivering a high-level time attack. His 1:33.669 not only topped the Day 3 timesheets, but also stood as the fastest lap of the entire first test window — a strong statement ahead of the 2026 World Championship campaign.

Mercedes secured an impressive one-two finish thanks to George Russell’s second-fastest time, just 0.249 seconds behind his teammate. The Brit focused primarily on a full Grand Prix simulation, demonstrating competitive and consistent race pace compared to the other leading teams. There is a noticeably different atmosphere in Brackley compared to earlier in the week, with lap times now matching the team’s ambitions.

Lewis Hamilton finished third after driving both sessions of the day in the Ferrari SF-26. The seven-time world champion ended 0.540 seconds off the top time, concentrating on setup work and collecting valuable data for the car’s development. However, with just ten minutes remaining, Ferrari experienced its first genuine reliability issue of the week: Hamilton was forced to stop the car on track, bringing the team’s program to an early halt.

Encouraging signs also came from McLaren, once again among the most consistent and reliable teams in the field. Oscar Piastri secured fourth place, 0.880 seconds off the pace, reinforcing the impression of a team with solid underlying competitiveness. Red Bull, by contrast, appeared further back on this particular day: Max Verstappen finished fifth in the morning session, 1.672 seconds adrift, while Isack Hadjar placed sixth in the afternoon at 1.941.

Rounding out the top ten were Esteban Ocon (Haas), Franco Colapinto (Alpine), Oliver Bearman (Haas), and Nico Hülkenberg (Audi), in a classification that must be interpreted cautiously but still offers intriguing insights.

If testing does not provide definitive answers, Friday in Sakhir nevertheless delivered a clear message: Mercedes is in the fight, and Antonelli’s talent is ready to step into the spotlight.

© Cavalieri Garage & Co.