What happened in the first Bahrain test?

The first official Formula One World Championship test has come to a close at the Bahrain International Circuit.

It’s been a productive three days for us as we continue to learn about the characteristics of the new A526 and the all-new regulations for 2026. In total, we managed to complete 318 laps over a distance of 1,721 kilometres.

That running was split fairly evenly between both drivers, with Pierre managing a total of 146 laps (790km) and Franco 172 laps (931km). Conditions in Bahrain were almost perfect, with sunshine and clear skies across all three days, and temperatures peaking at 27°C in the day, dropping to 22°C under the floodlights.

Both drivers ran on Day 1

Franco was first out on track for us when the pit lane opened on Wednesday morning and completed 28 laps of the 5.4km circuit. Unfortunately, his running was cut short when he came to a halt between Turns 7 and 8, bringing out the red flag while the car was returned to the pits. The issues were soon resolved and after the lunch break, Pierre took over and went on to complete 49 laps, just eight short of a full complete Grand Prix distance. Managing Director, Steve Nielsen explained:

“A few issues across the car meant we had to stop more than once in the morning session and pit to put a few fixes in place. As expected with a completely new car, there will always be some issues, and it is important that we get on top of them quickly and put measures in place to prevent any reoccurrence. It’s important to see a positive reaction from the entire team, drivers included, when handling those setbacks.”
PG 2026 Testing

Pierre continues at the wheel for Day 2

With the grip improving as more running took place, Pierre spent the whole of Day 2 in the car to further understand the new A526. He completed 61 laps in the four-hour morning session, and a further 36 in the afternoon, totalling 525km for the day. After a sensor anomaly, a precautionary decision was taken to stop the car and analyse the data. Pierre pulled over on the run down to Turn 1 and spent a few minutes chatting to fellow driver Alex Albon, who was spectating trackside. Pierre said:

“Overall, we got quite a lot done. Every single run, every single lap, we are learning about this new car, new engine, and about the way we work. There are still question marks and things we need to answer and analyse. The feeling in the car gets better every day — it’s a big step forward from Barcelona — but we still need to find more. Next week, we’ll start pushing more.”

Although it is impossible to use testing times as a true guide, as fuel loads and tyre compounds distort the order, Pierre’s fastest lap of a 1m36.723s put him seventh on the Day 2 timesheets — one place higher and just 0.042s quicker than his best time on Wednesday.

Serving up a sporting legend

Meanwhile back in the pit lane, both drivers and Executive Advisor, Flavio Briatore, welcomed Australian Open champion Carlos Alcaraz, who was a keen spectator at this first official on-track running in Bahrain.

Alpine x Alcaraz

Franco returned to the cockpit on Friday, with an excellent day of running to record our best mileage of pre-season so far. In the morning he completed 64 laps (346km), before adding a further 144 laps (779km) in the final four-hour session. His best time of the day was 1m35.806s, which placed him 8th overall.

We now look forward to retuning to Bahrain next Wednesday for the final three days of testing, before the new season begins Down Under.