Summary

  • Ferrari's Leclerc fastest on final day of pre-season testing in Bahrain

  • McLaren's Norris in second, with Red Bull's Verstappen third

  • Aston Martin finished testing early after completing only six laps on last day

  • First race in Melbourne takes place from 6-8 March

  • New technical regulations biggest change in F1 for years

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  1. Postpublished at 07:53 GMT 20 February

    Just three drivers out on track at the moment - Arvid Lindblad, Kimi Antonelli and Nico Hulkenberg.

    Lindblad and Antonelli have been quietly putting in the laps. They are both on 17 laps.

    Antonelli has put in a fast lap and puts his Mercedes into second.

  2. Top 5published at 07:48 GMT 20 February

    1. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) - 1:33.689

    2. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) +0.663

    3. Esteban Ocon (Haas) +0.805

    4. Isack Hadjar (Red Bull) +0.822

    5. Carlos Sainz (Williams) +1.838

  3. Ferrari turn heads with 'upside down' rear wingpublished at 07:45 GMT 20 February

    Andrew Benson
    BBC F1 correspondent in Bahrain

    Lewis Hamilton drives the Ferrari on track in BahrainImage source, Getty Images

    Ferrari turned heads on Thursday by trying out a rear wing that had its upper element turn upside down when the car's straight-line mode was activated.

    Straight-line mode is a new feature this year in which both front and rear wings open on the straights to increase speed and increase energy recovery possibilities.

    Normally the rear wing flap simply moves to open a gap between it and the wing mainplane. Ferrari's is an innovation never seen before.

    The team described the wing as a test item and it was seen only briefly before what Ferrari said was an unrelated "banal" technical problem stopped the car.

  4. Postpublished at 07:42 GMT 20 February

    Charles Leclerc continues to be the fastest driver on the track in Bahrain.

    Does he have the upside down rear wing today?

    His team-mate Lewis Hamilton was testing out the new innovation yesterday.

  5. Postpublished at 07:38 GMT 20 February

    Oscar Piastri is whizzing down the circuit, can he set a fast lap?

    Not just yet, he pops his car into second, behind Charles Leclerc's Ferrari.

    Eight laps completed for the McLaren man.

  6. get involved

    Get Involved - Send in your predictionspublished at 07:35 GMT 20 February

    Select the 'Get Involved' button to have your say

    Since we have reached the final day of testing, we would like to know your predictions for the season.

    Who will surprise us? Which team will be the strongest? Who will win the championship? I know, I know it's far too early and there's new regulations but it is all just a bit of fun!

    If you'd like to send us your thoughts, select the 'Get Involved' button and we will share the best ones throughout the day.

  7. Postpublished at 07:29 GMT 20 February

    There is a wall of mechanics formed at the Aston Martin garage this morning. That means the team are working away at the car.

    How long will it take before Lance Stroll heads out? He completed 26 laps on day one of testing.

  8. Postpublished at 07:24 GMT 20 February

    Racing Bulls' Arvid Lindblad has been a busy driver out on the circuit in Bahrain.

    The rookie has completed the most laps so far - 10 laps - and he is currently fourth fastest with a lap time of 1:36.159.

  9. Leclerc fastestpublished at 07:21 GMT 20 February

    Charles Leclerc goes purple in sectors one and two and pops his car at the top of the leaderboard. His Ferrari has done a lap time of 1:33.837.

    Aston Martin are the only team that have not sent out their driver, Lance Stroll, yet. They had issues with the power unit yesterday, which cut short Fernando Alonso's testing.

  10. Laps completed so farpublished at 07:16 GMT 20 February

    Oscar Piastri (McLaren) - 2

    Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) - 3

    Isack Hadjar (Red Bull) - 6

    Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) - 4

    Carlos Sainz (Williams) - 3

    Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls) - 6

    Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) - 0

    Pierre Gasly (Alpine) - 3

    Esteban Ocon (Haas) - 4

    Nico Hulkenberg (Audi) - 4

    Sergio Perez (Cadillac) - 1

  11. Postpublished at 07:12 GMT 20 February

    Guess which car is out early today? Yes, it is the Cadillac!

    Sergio Perez has taken his car out for a spin, completes a lap before he heads back into the pits.

    McLaren's Oscar Piastri has headed out of the garage and does a practice start at the end of the pit lane.

  12. Postpublished at 07:06 GMT 20 February

    Red Bull's Isack Hadjar whizzes down the track and sets an early fastest lap time - 1:35.011 for him.

    Kimi Antonelli's Mercedes has had white flow-vis paint sprayed on to the front left of his car.

    Pierre Gasly pops back into the garage to change his front wing. Huge aero rakes attached to the back of his car.

  13. Postpublished at 07:04 GMT 20 February

    The four hour clock for the morning session has started and the drivers waste no time at all.

    New rookie Arvid Lindblad is the first driver out in the Racing Bulls.

    He has a set of hard tyres bolted on, as does Esteban Ocon and Nico Hulkenberg. Everyone else is on the medium compound.

  14. Pre-season testing day threepublished at 07:02 GMT 20 February

    Morning session:

    Oscar Piastri (McLaren)

    Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes)

    Isack Hadjar (Red Bull)

    Esteban Ocon (Haas)

    Nico Hulkenberg (Audi)

    Sergio Perez (Cadillac)

    Afternoon session:

    Lando Norris (McLaren)

    George Russell (Mercedes)

    Max Verstappen (Red Bull)

    Oliver Bearman (Haas)

    Gabriel Bortoleto (Audi)

    Valtteri Bottas (Cadillac)

    All day:

    Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)

    Carlos Sainz (Williams)

    Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls)

    Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)

    Pierre Gasly (Alpine)

  15. Welcomepublished at 07:00 GMT 20 February

    Charles Leclerc and Oscar PiastriImage source, Getty Images

    Hello everyone, happy Friday.

    It's the final day of testing before the season begins at the Australian Grand Prix (6-8 March).

    Teams have one last opportunity to test the new regulations and get their cars ready for 2026.

    There are 17 drivers taking part in today's sessions.

    Lewis Hamilton, Fernando Alonso, Alex Albon, Liam Lawson and Franco Colapinto finished their duties yesterday.