Ferrari Impresses in F1 Tests: Leclerc Dominates, Aston Martin in Crisis.

Leclerc Sets the Pace in Ferrari Tests, Aston Martin Struggles

Charles Leclerc demonstrated Ferrari’s power by finishing the pre-season tests in Bahrain with impressive times, generating great expectation for the 2026 season. Leclerc set a dominant pace, surpassing his competitors by a significant margin. The Ferrari driver led the final day with a lead of almost 0.9 seconds over Lando Norris’ McLaren, the world champion. The difference was even greater compared to the fastest time of George Russell, from Mercedes, marking a clear superiority. Ferrari’s performance, which hasn’t won a drivers’ championship since 2007 or a constructors’ championship since 2008, excites the fans of the Italian team ahead of the Australian Grand Prix, which will kick off the season. Leclerc, with an impeccable race simulation and 132 laps completed, showed a notable advantage at the start, a crucial aspect. This demonstration surely raises expectations for Leclerc and his teammate, seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton.

Many in the paddock believe that Mercedes and Ferrari lead the competitive order in the inaugural race.
Alofoke Deportes

While Mercedes’ true capability remains a mystery, Ferrari has shown outstanding performance. The unknown about McLaren and Red Bull’s position regarding the leading teams also persists. Leclerc’s last hour made headlines, sharing the spotlight with the Aston Martin-Honda project, which had a complicated day, limited to only six laps.

Ferrari Impresses in F1 Tests: Leclerc Dominates, Aston Martin in Crisis.

Aston Martin’s performance in pre-season testing was disappointing, with problems in the Honda power unit. Despite the investment, the team seems to be facing significant technical problems heading into the start in Melbourne. Aston Martin has had difficulties integrating its new power unit, and also faces problems with the gearbox, built internally for the first time, after years of collaboration with Mercedes. Hopes of competing for the title seem to be fading before the first race.

Lando Norris, with the second-best time of the day, demonstrated improvements in the exit, suggesting that McLaren has resolved previous problems. The new regulations have introduced challenges, especially in the efficiency of the turbos. Ferrari’s decision to use a smaller turbo could be key in the starts. George Russell, for his part, expressed his dissatisfaction with the test starts, compared to Ferrari’s. Alpine and Haas also performed well in terms of kilometers covered. Audi, which has taken control of the Sauber team, had a productive day with 135 laps. The Cadillac team completed 99 laps, with Sergio Pérez and Valtteri Bottas sharing the driving.