Mercedes youngster Andrea Kimi Antonelli set the fastest time on the second day of Formula 1’s Bahrain pre-season test, as teams continued to downplay their true competitiveness amid growing political friction in the paddock.
Team principals pushed back strongly against speculation surrounding engine compliance, while Aston Martin acknowledged it still needs more power. With several frontrunners claiming to be only the fourth-fastest team, the true competitive order remains deliberately obscured.
However, Thursday’s running offered clearer early clues.
Mercedes Leads as Programmes Converge
Under near-perfect conditions in Sakhir, the paddock atmosphere grew noticeably busier, including a visit from Bahrain’s Prime Minister Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, who inspected McLaren’s operations.
On track, Mercedes again topped the timesheets. After George Russell led Day 1, Antonelli went quickest on Thursday with a 1:32.803, finishing ahead of McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.
The morning session had initially belonged to Lando Norris, whose 1:33.453 reinforced the impression of strong McLaren baseline pace. But as the afternoon progressed and track conditions improved, the order shifted.
Lewis Hamilton was among the first drivers out in the second session as teams focused on sustained mileage and longer runs. Verstappen briefly moved to the top before Fernando Alonso triggered the day’s only red flag after stopping on track — a minor setback that again raised questions about Aston Martin’s rhythm.
In the final hour, the leaderboard changed twice. Piastri briefly took P1 before Antonelli responded with the lap that ultimately stood.
A late practice of the new race-start light procedure also drew attention when Piastri briefly pulled over with a minor issue, though he quickly continued.
Hamilton impressed observers with particularly strong launches during start simulations, while the Ferrari-powered Haas also showed sharp traction — prompting early speculation that Ferrari’s package may be well suited to the 2026 procedures.
Verstappen quietly underlined Red Bull’s serious programme by completing a session-high 139 laps.
The top 10 finished: Antonelli, Piastri, Verstappen, Hamilton, Norris, Franco Colapinto, Nico Hülkenberg, George Russell, Esteban Ocon and Liam Lawson.
Aston Martin Honest as Engine Politics Flare
Thursday’s press conference provided the clearest public assessment yet of team expectations.
Lance Stroll was notably direct about Aston Martin’s priorities, admitting: “We need more power.” He added that while improvements are planned, the team does not expect a complete fix before Melbourne.
The political temperature rose further when Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff forcefully rejected suggestions of regulatory concerns around the power unit, calling the speculation “total bullshit” and accusing rivals of turning the issue into a political narrative.
Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur struck a more measured tone but echoed the broader message that testing times reveal little. Fuel loads, engine modes and hidden programmes, he stressed, matter far more than small gaps on the timing sheets.
Together, the comments highlighted a familiar pre-season theme: rapid technical development on track paired with equally intense positioning off it.
Early Picture: Mercedes Calm, Rivals Cautious
While McLaren again showed strong single-lap speed, Mercedes appears to be operating with the largest performance margin — and may still be holding pace in reserve, according to paddock insiders.
Ferrari continues to impress quietly with consistent long-run behaviour, while Red Bull remains firmly in the leading group and comfortably ahead of the midfield.
By contrast, Aston Martin’s Honda-backed project is showing more visible strain. With Melbourne approaching, the team appears focused on steady gains rather than immediate breakthroughs.
Testing continues, but the early signals are becoming harder to ignore.
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