Bahrain Test 2 · Day 2 Results
Antonelli sets new benchmark — Verstappen clocks 139 laps — Ferrari's rotating rear wing stuns the paddock
Fastest Time
1:32.803
Kimi Antonelli
Most Laps (Driver)
139
Max Verstappen
New Benchmark
−0.656s
vs Day 1 fastest
Story of the Day
Ferrari 🔄
Rotating rear wing
Ferrari's Radical Rotating Rear Wing
Ferrari sent shockwaves through the paddock today by unveiling an innovative active rear wing whose assembly physically rotates when deploying active aerodynamics — a concept never seen before in modern F1. Hamilton and Leclerc only ran 5 laps in the morning before the team spent hours studying data, then returned with Leclerc for an afternoon run. The technical and strategic implications are enormous heading into the season.
| Pos | Driver | Team | Best Lap | Gap | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | 1:32.803 | — | 79 |
| 2 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | 1:32.861 | +0.058 | 86 |
| 3 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | 1:33.162 | +0.359 | 139 |
| 4 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | 1:33.408 | +0.605 | 78 |
| 5 | Lando Norris | McLaren | 1:33.453 | +0.650 | 72 |
| 6 | Franco Colapinto | Alpine | 1:33.818 | +1.015 | 120 |
| 7 | Nico Hülkenberg | Audi | 1:33.987 | +1.184 | 73 |
| 8 | George Russell | Mercedes | 1:34.111 | +1.308 | 77 |
| 9 | Esteban Ocon | Haas | 1:34.201 | +1.398 | 58 |
| 10 | Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls | 1:34.532 | +1.729 | 106 |
| 11 | Alex Albon | Williams | 1:34.555 | +1.752 | 117 |
| 12 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Audi | 1:35.263 | +2.460 | 29 |
| 13 | Oliver Bearman | Haas | 1:35.279 | +2.476 | 69 |
| 14 | Sergio Pérez | Cadillac | 1:35.369 | +2.566 | 50 |
| 15 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | 1:37.472 | +4.669 | 68 |
| 16 | Valtteri Bottas | Cadillac | 1:40.193 | +7.390 | 58 |
Remember: Testing times depend heavily on tyre compound (C1–C5), fuel load, and programme. Fastest lap ≠ fastest race car. Context is everything.
Combined team laps on Day 2. Reliability and programme completion are the key metrics.
The top four — Mercedes, McLaren, Red Bull, Ferrari — are separated by just 0.65s on the overall timesheet. That's an extraordinarily tight convergence for a regulation reset year, where 2–3 seconds gaps were common in 2022.
Verstappen's 139 laps and P3 time is the big shift from Day 1. Red Bull were nowhere on Wednesday; Verstappen's Thursday performance confirms they are genuinely in the fight. Whether his time was on a low fuel load or a scrubbed soft is the question everyone in the paddock is asking.
Ferrari's rotating rear wing could be the defining technical story of 2026. If it works as intended, the drag reduction through corners could give them a significant advantage in the first sector of many circuits. Other teams will be monitoring closely and potentially preparing counter-designs.
Watch Day 3 closely: It's the final session before Melbourne. Expect more qualifying simulations, race pace runs, and a probable shuffling of the leaderboard as teams show (or strategically hide) their hand.
Antonelli fastest — should we be excited?
Yes and no. Antonelli is a rookie and showing incredible pace for his age. But Mercedes set the time, and they already topped Day 1. What's exciting is HOW competitive the times are — P1 to P5 is just 0.65s.
What is Ferrari's rotating rear wing?
In 2026, cars have active aero — wings that change shape at high speed. Ferrari's twist is that their wing rotates mechanically, rather than just flexing. Think of it like a propeller blade changing angle. It's radical and may be genius.
Why did Verstappen do 139 laps?
Red Bull skipped Day 1 with Verstappen to save his mileage for a focused Day 2 run. 139 laps is essentially two full race distances. He was building a huge data set for the engineers to analyse before Melbourne.
What to watch on Day 3 (Final Day)?
Day 3 is the last chance before the season starts. Look for qualifying simulations (low fuel, fresh soft tyres), any team showing their true pace, and whether Ferrari's wing works consistently in race trim.
F1MadeSimple is an independent educational fan site. Formula 1®, FIA®, driver and team names are property of their respective owners. Results sourced from official F1 timing and verified media outlets (PlanetF1, RacingNews365, MotorsportWeek). Not affiliated with Formula 1® or FIA.