Mercedes edges McLaren by 0.01s as Bahrain F1 pre-season test flags four teams’ issues

George Russell set the fastest Bahrain pre-season lap so far at 1:33.459, just 0.010s ahead of Oscar Piastri as Mercedes beat McLaren on Day 4. Charles Leclerc led Ferrari’s early times but the day wasn’t trouble-free for the Scuderia; Lewis Hamilton spent substantial track time in the garage, Aston Martin endured a power-unit fault and a red-flag incident limiting it to 54 laps, and Cadillac battled sensor issues. The midfield remained well off the pace, underscoring the gap to the top teams while the top two squads traded lap times.