F1 Bahrain Preseason Test 2: Schedule and Driver Line-Ups

Formula 1 enters its final week of preseason testing as teams continue to prepare for the first race of 2026.
The Australian Grand Prix takes place on March 8, and it will be the first time cars under F1's new technical regulations hit the track.
But before that, three more days of testing at the Bahrain International Circuit are being afforded to competitors to help iron out creases in performance and reliability as much as possible before points are handed out in Melbourne.
So who is driving on each day?
F1 Bahrain Preseason Test 2: Wednesday Driver Line-Up

A number of teams are opting to split driving duties on day one of the final test, including constructors' champions McLaren. Lando Norris will take on the morning running before handing over to teammate Oscar Piastri in the afternoon.
Kimi Antonelli is first up for Mercedes and will hand over to George Russell at lunchtime, while Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton will share the Ferrari.
Williams will have Alex Albon first up before Carlos Sainz drives after lunch, with Racing Bulls giving Arvid Lindblad first running before Liam Lawson joins later in the day.
Aston Martin will have both drivers on track, as will Haas, Audi and Alpine and while Cadillac is yet to give its run plan, Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas split duties on all three days last week.
Isack Hadjar will be the only driver doing the full day as he takes sole control of Red Bull's RB22.
Team | Driver - Morning | Driver - Afternoon |
|---|---|---|
McLaren | Lando Norris | Oscar Piastri |
Mercedes | Kimi Antonelli | George Russell |
Red Bull | Isack Hadjar | Isack Hadjar |
Ferrari | Charles Leclerc | Lewis Hamilton |
Williams | Alex Albon | Carlos Sainz |
Racing Bulls | Arvid Lindblad | Liam Lawson |
Aston Martin | Lance Stroll | Fernando Alonso |
Haas | Esteban Ocon | Oliver Bearman |
Audi | Nico Hulkenberg | Gabriel Bortoleto |
Alpine | Franco Colapinto | Pierre Gasly |
Cadillac | TBC | TBC |
F1 Bahrain Preseason Test 2: Thursday Driver Line-Up
Any team that will split duties on the first two days of the final test has simply reversed the orders, with the afternoon driver from Wednesday taking over the morning on Thursday.
That is all but McLaren, who have kept Norris in the morning with Piastri in the afternoon.
Sing along if you know the words... 😉🎤#F1 pic.twitter.com/1f3xCwvCht
— Formula 1 (@F1) February 17, 2026
Max Verstappen takes over from Hadjar for a full day in the Red Bull, while Albon has the Williams to himself, having shared with Sainz on day one.
Lawson will also run alone for Racing Bulls, as will Fernando Alonso in the Aston Martin and Pierre Gasly in the Alpine.
Team | Driver - Morning | Driver - Afternoon |
|---|---|---|
McLaren | Lando Norris | Oscar Piastri |
Mercedes | George Russell | Kimi Antonelli |
Red Bull | Max Verstappen | Max Verstappen |
Ferrari | TBC | TBC |
Williams | Alex Albon | Alex Albon |
Racing Bulls | Liam Lawson | Liam Lawson |
Aston Martin | Fernando Alonso | Fernando Alonso |
Haas | Oliver Bearman | Esteban Ocon |
Audi | Gabriel Bortoleto | Nico Hulkenberg |
Alpine | Pierre Gasly | Pierre Gasly |
Cadillac | TBC | TBC |
F1 Bahrain Preseason Test 2: Friday Driver Line-Up
McLaren reverses its schedule for the final day as Piastri runs in the morning before handing over to Norris, while the other teams running splits all week revert to Wednesday's run plan.
Hadjar and Verstappen share Red Bull's RB22 on the final day in that order, while Sainz, Lindblad, Stroll, and Colapinto run a full day for Williams, Racing Bulls, Aston Martin and Alpine.
Team | Driver - Morning | Driver - Afternoon |
|---|---|---|
McLaren | Oscar Piastri | Lando Norris |
Mercedes | Kimi Antonelli | George Russell |
Red Bull | Isack Hadjar | Max Verstappen |
Ferrari | TBC | TBC |
Williams | Carlos Sainz | Carlos Sainz |
Racing Bulls | Arvid Lindblad | Arvid Lindblad |
Aston Martin | Lance Stroll | Lance Stroll |
Haas | Esteban Ocon | Oliver Bearman |
Audi | Nico Hulkenberg | Gabriel Bortoleto |
Alpine | Franco Colapinto | Franco Colapinto |
Cadillac | TBC | TBC |
The Latest Formula 1 News
Key Red Bull Figure Exits on Eve of New F1 Season
F1 Agrees New Deal With Legendary Circuit — but There’s a Twist
George Russell Reveals the ‘Most Concerning Thing’ for Mercedes After Testing Confusion
Cadillac Expands F1 Launch from the Super Bowl to Billboards Across America

Ewan is a motorsport journalist covering F1 for Grand Prix On SI. Having been educated at Silverstone, the home of the British Grand Prix, and subsequently graduating from university with a sports journalism degree, Ewan made a move into F1 in 2021. Ewan joins after a stint with Autosport as an editor, having written for a number of outlets including RacingNews365 and GPFans, during which time he has covered grand prix and car launches as an accredited member of the media.
Follow ewangale