Max third on final test day in Bahrain: 'Completed the entire programme'

Published on 20 February 2026 by Misha van der Kroon

Max Verstappen set the third-fastest time during the final test session in Bahrain. The four-time World Champion completed 65 laps but was ultimately more than a second slower than Charles Leclerc, who set the fastest time in his Ferrari. Racing Bulls driver Arvid Lindblad proved the most productive runner on the final day, racking up an impressive 165 laps.

Max said: “We have completed our entire programme while I was driving, so that’s good. I think we’ve prepared as best as we could for the season, but of course it’s quite obvious that there’s still a lot of work to do for us to be faster. We’ll see how it goes in Melbourne, but we still have to keep working hard.”

Friday afternoon’s session at the Bahrain International Circuit is the last test session before the 2026 Formula 1 season officially gets underway in Australia on 6 March. The morning session for Oracle Red Bull Racing was run by Isack Hadjar, while Max Verstappen takes over in the afternoon to bring the team’s test programme to a close. Ten minutes after the session begins, the four-time World Champion heads out on track. He starts cautiously with a 1:38.4 before embarking on a longer run. That stint begins in the 1:38s and gradually drops into the 1:39s. After nine laps on the C3 tyre, Max returns to the pit lane.

Another long run follows for Verstappen, but it takes more than an hour and a half before he sets a quicker lap. On the C3 compound, he sets a 1:34.3 and shortly afterwards improves to a 1:33.8, although that still leaves him some way off the benchmark time. At the halfway point of the session, Leclerc has set the fastest time so far, with a 1:33.1. The Monegasque focuses on fast runs throughout the session, repeatedly improving his own time. That approach also leads to a few moments, including a near trip into the gravel at Turn 11.

The final test day proves far more challenging for Aston Martin. After the issues yesterday, the team reports after just six laps that they have completed their programme, bringing their test to an early end. Lance Stroll has not set a time in the few laps he did. The contrast with Lindblad can't be greater: the rookie completes a remarkable 165 laps over the course of the day, equivalent to almost three race distances, and finishes ninth on the timesheets.

In the closing stages, several drivers go for quick laps. Verstappen improves once more to a 1:33.1, which secures him third place. Leclerc is pushing hardest. After already clocking a1:32.2, he goes even quicker with a 1:31.9 on the C4 tyre, making him the only driver to dip below the 1:32 mark. Lando Norris also improves his time, but on the harder C3 tyre he is almost nine tenths slower than Leclerc. No one is able to challenge the Ferrari driver’s time.

With eight minutes remaining, a planned red flag is shown to allow system checks to be carried out. A few minutes later, the session resumes, giving the drivers the opportunity to complete practice starts. Verstappen ends the final test day in third place with a best lap of 1:33.1, having completed a total of 65 laps.