F1 Pre-Season Testing in Bahrain: Mercedes Tops Timesheets Amid Team Rivalries and New Car Complexities
F1 Pre-Season Testing in Bahrain: Mercedes Tops Timesheets Amid Team Rivalries and New Car Complexities
The first Bahrain pre-season test for the 2026 Formula 1 season concluded on Friday with Mercedes setting the pace, as Kimi Antonelli posted the fastest time of the event at 1:33.669, edging out teammate George Russell by 0.249 seconds. Lewis Hamilton placed third for Ferrari, followed by McLaren's Oscar Piastri and Red Bull's Max Verstappen. The three-day test highlighted the challenges of the new regulations, with teams focusing on reliability, setup, and power unit deployment.
On Day 1, Lando Norris topped the timesheets for McLaren with a 1:34.669, ahead of Verstappen by 0.129 seconds and Charles Leclerc in third. Verstappen completed over 130 laps, the highest of the day, while teams like Williams gained valuable mileage after missing the Barcelona shakedown. Reliability issues surfaced, including a red flag from Nico Hulkenberg's Audi stoppage.
Day 2 saw Leclerc set the fastest time for Ferrari, with strong race simulations from both Leclerc and Hamilton. Red Bull's performance drew praise, with Sainz noting their 'mighty impressive' showing based on GPS data. Verstappen's lap analysis revealed a significant straight-line advantage over Norris, peaking at 11 km/h higher top speed.
Mercedes dominated Day 3, with Russell quickest in the morning and Antonelli in the afternoon. Ferrari continued strong, with Hamilton completing 150 laps and expressing encouragement: 'The SF-26 has felt generally good, but this generation of car is quite complex and finding the right operating window, especially with the tyres, is key.' Aston Martin struggled, admitting they are 'behind schedule' with only 202 laps total.
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The 'big four' teams—McLaren, Mercedes, Red Bull, and Ferrari—dominated, but all downplayed their speed. Toto Wolff called Red Bull's engine the 'benchmark,' while Pierre Wache insisted Red Bull is fourth. Norris admitted McLaren is 'not quick enough' compared to rivals, and Leclerc noted the psychological games: 'Everybody is trying to throw the ball to the other guys!'
A key subplot is the engine dispute, with rivals lobbying over Mercedes' perceived compression ratio advantage. Wolff dismissed early complaints but now accepts potential rule changes. Red Bull's debut power unit exceeded expectations, with reliable running and strong energy deployment, potentially decisive under the new rules where electrical power is nearly 50% of output.
McLaren led mileage with 422 laps, followed closely by Ferrari. The test underscored the learning curve for 2026's overhauled cars, featuring increased electrical power and modes like 'overtake mode,' which confused even experts. Next week's final Bahrain test will clarify the order before the Australian Grand Prix on March 6-8.