F1MATHS: How do the quickest times of the teams compare to each other?

Ferrari ended the second and final three‑day Formula 1 test in Bahrain with the fastest time of the entire field, signalling a strong start to their 2026 campaign. F1Technical.net’s senior writer Balazs Szabo delivers his latest analysis.

Ferrari ended the second three‑day Formula 1 test in Bahrain with the fastest time of the entire field, signalling a strong start to their 2026 campaign.

The team set a benchmark lap of 1m31.992s courtesy of Charles Leclerc on Day 4, which stood as the quickest overall and the only lap recorded under the 1m32 mark. This performance reinforced the impression that Ferrari have made meaningful progress over the winter and are entering the new season with a more competitive package than last year.

Mercedes which are expected to emerge as the quickest package finished the test with the second‑fastest time. Their best lap of 1m32.803s placed them 0.811 seconds behind Ferrari, but it also demonstrated that the team has found stability and pace compared to previous seasons.

The Brackley-based outfit refused to complete a qualifying simulation in the dying stages of the test in cooler temperatures which might offer an explanation for the difference from Ferrari.

McLaren followed closely with a 1m32.861s, ending the test just 0.058 seconds behind Mercedes. The narrow gap between the two teams suggests that they may be closely matched as the season begins.

Red Bull completed the test with the fourth‑fastest time, recording a 1m33.109s. This lap left them more than a second behind Ferrari. Although Red Bull are known for running conservative engine modes and higher fuel loads during testing, the size of the gap will inevitably raise questions about whether they are holding performance in reserve or facing early‑season challenges.

The midfield appeared particularly tight during this second test. Alpine set a fastest lap of 1m33.421s, while Haas followed with a 1m33.487s, placing the two teams within a tenth of a second of each other.

Audi continued their steady development with a 1m33.755s, keeping them within striking distance of the upper midfield. The closeness of these times suggests that the midfield battle could be highly competitive once the season begins.

Further down the order, Racing Bulls recorded a fastest lap of 1m34.149s, while Williams set a 1m34.342s, leaving them 2.350 seconds off Ferrari’s leading pace. Both teams will be looking for improvements before the opening race. Cadillac and Aston Martin completed the timesheets.

Cadillac posted a 1m35.290s, and Aston Martin ended the test with a 1m35.974s, nearly four seconds slower than Ferrari. Aston Martin’s position at the bottom of the order was not suprising given that fact that they were very much limited in terms of mileage due to reliability issues.

The full list of fastest laps from the second Bahrain test is as follows:

Ferrari – 1m31.992s
Mercedes – 1m32.803s (+0.811s)
McLaren – 1m32.861s (+0.869s)
Red Bull – 1m33.109s (+1.117s)
Alpine – 1m33.421s (+1.429s)
Haas – 1m33.487s (+1.495s)
Audi – 1m33.755s (+1.763s)
Racing Bulls – 1m34.149s (+2.157s)
Williams – 1m34.342s (+2.350s)
Cadillac – 1m35.290s (+3.298s)
Aston Martin – 1m35.974s (+3.982s)

Although testing times never reveal the full competitive picture, the second Bahrain test provided a clearer sense of the emerging order. Ferrari appear to have genuine pace, Mercedes and McLaren look closely matched, and Red Bull remain an unknown quantity.

The midfield is tightly packed, while several teams at the back will be hoping to unlock more performance before the season begins. As always, the true hierarchy will only become clear once the cars line up for the first qualifying session of the year.