Mercedes newcomer Kimi Antonelli had a mixed first pre-season test in Bahrain, completing the fewest laps but setting the fastest time. He vows a '360-degree' effort to understand the car and improve tire management before the season opener in Melbourne.
George Russell redirects attention from Mercedes' winter engine speculation to Red Bull's formidable new power unit, which he claims holds a deployment advantage worth up to a second per lap. His warning, backed by early data and team boss Toto Wolff's comments, suggests Red Bull may have stolen a march on its rivals in the 2026 development race.
Max Verstappen reported a solid but not perfect first test for Red Bull, completing many laps and system checks while identifying areas for improvement. Competitors, however, voiced concern over Red Bull's apparent performance advantage, with George Russell calling the gap "pretty scary."
Mercedes secured a 1‑2 on the final day of Bahrain's 2026 test, with Hamilton’s spin ending the session. The SF‑26 posted the fastest lap, while Piastri logged the most mileage.
Ferrari's Frederic Vasseur says the team will not protest Mercedes' disputed engine design but is pressing the FIA for definitive rules clarification. He cites 'grey areas' in new regulations as the core issue, seeking a unified understanding for all teams before the season starts.
Lewis Hamilton's last pre-season test session in Bahrain was red-flagged and ended early due to an unspecified car issue, costing Mercedes and the departing driver valuable track time just days before the season-opening grand prix.
Charles Leclerc says Red Bull and Mercedes look fastest after Bahrain testing, but suspects Mercedes is deliberately hiding its car's true potential. He notes the new regulations make it exceptionally hard to judge real performance, but is satisfied with Ferrari's reliable start to its 2026 program.
George Russell topped the timesheets for Mercedes on the final morning of F1 pre-season testing in Bahrain, setting a blistering lap time that signals a potential turnaround for the team. While testing times are deceptive, the performance provides a crucial confidence boost ahead of next week's season opener, where the true competitive order will be revealed.
Alpine MD Steve Nielsen challenges Red Bull, Ferrari, Audi and Honda to file a protest over Mercedes' 2026 power unit, which temporarily raises its compression ratio from 16:1 to 18:1—a gain that could shave tenths of a second per lap.
Rivals like Ferrari and Red Bull suspect Mercedes is sandbagging and hiding its true pace during F1 pre-season testing, despite the team's own warnings about Red Bull's speed. The skepticism sets up a high-stakes reveal for the season opener in Melbourne.
Red Bull's Pierre Wache says his focus is on building a winning car, not catering to Max Verstappen's happiness, after the champion driver threatened that F1's 2026 regulations could make him leave the sport. Verstappen criticized the prototype cars as unenjoyable to drive, a sentiment shared by Lewis Hamilton, putting pressure on F1's rulemakers.
Mercedes' George Russell calls for patience in evaluating F1's new 2026 cars, contrasting Max Verstappen's harsh criticism. While acknowledging complex energy management challenges, Russell praises the cars' lighter weight and agility and predicts massive development is still to come as teams adapt to the radical new regulations.
