Charles Leclerc highlights 'encouraging' Ferrari discovery at Bahrain test

Charles Leclerc has stated he is encouraged by the early data being collected at Ferrari and how it is comparing to its simulator findings.

The Italian squad enter the upcoming season looking to fight towards the front of the field, having endured a challenging 2025 campaign.

Both Leclerc and team-mate Lewis Hamilton were behind the wheel on Wednesday, with Leclerc taking over driving duties in the afternoon.

The Monegasque driver set the third fastest lap time of the day and tallied 79 laps, adding to the 52 set by Hamilton.

“It was a productive half day of testing for me, as we were able to complete the programme without any major issues, which is always a positive at this stage,” he said.

“The feeling was quite different compared to Barcelona, as the conditions here are very different, but that’s exactly what we need, gaining experience on another track and understanding how the car behaves in different scenarios.”

The cars this year have undergone a dramatic shift, with both the aerodynamic and power unit rules changing.

Leclerc highlighted a positive sign from Ferrari's early laps, insisting its findings from the simulator are equalling what it is seeing on the track.

“So far, the data is broadly in line with what we expected from our simulations, which is encouraging,” he said.

“Now the focus is on continuing to work through the programme and making sure we are as prepared as possible for the first race.”