F1 Testing Day 1: Verstappen Leads Opening Session as Teams Begin Bahrain Campaign

The 2026 Formula 1 season officially kicked into gear as teams returned to action at the Bahrain International Circuit for the first day of official pre-season testing. Two weeks after the Barcelona Shakedown, all 11 teams fielded their new challengers under the warm Middle Eastern sun, beginning their final preparations before the Australian Grand Prix on March 8.

Red Bull's Max Verstappen was the first driver to hit the track when the green light appeared, setting the tone for what promises to be an intriguing pre-season. The reigning world champion went on to top the timesheets during the morning session, showing early signs that Red Bull's new engine program might indeed be as competitive as team principal Christian Horner had hoped.

However, the afternoon session saw a different pace-setter as McLaren's Lando Norris took over at the top of the timing screens. This shift in leadership between sessions highlighted the traditional preseason gamesmanship, with teams running different programs, fuel loads, and tire compounds that make direct comparisons difficult.

Mercedes Shows Caution Despite Strong Pace

Mercedes, which had impressed during the Barcelona shakedown, maintained a more cautious approach on Day 1. Team Principal Toto Wolff emphasized that his team needs to "get our act together" despite showing promising signs.

"It isn't smooth sailing," Wolff admitted. "We have complications on the car balance, which are a little bit more articulated here than they were in Barcelona, obviously due to the hot conditions."

Williams Returns to Action

After missing the Barcelona shakedown due to production delays, Williams made its 2026 debut with both Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon taking turns behind the wheel. The team's return to the track represented a significant milestone after what Team Principal James Vowles described as a "tough winter."

The Grove-based squad focused on gathering data and understanding their new FW48 challenger, with Vowles noting positive correlation between simulation data and on-track performance: "What you can see is, for example, in all of your pressure tappings and aero data, is there anything that looks odd? And the answer to that is no, fundamentally."

New Teams Find Their Feet

Both Cadillac and Audi continued their F1 acclimatization on Day 1. Cadillac, after its highly-publicized Super Bowl livery reveal, completed its first public F1 testing laps, while Audi put more miles on its new engine and chassis combination.

The testing day represented just the beginning of a crucial three-day program that will see teams gather vital data on their new cars before the competitive action begins in earnest. With temperatures expected to remain consistent throughout the test, teams hope to develop a solid baseline understanding of their 2026 machinery.

Looking Ahead

As teams continue their testing programs over the next two days, attention will focus on several key areas: reliability of the new power units, driver adaptation to the radically different cars, and early indications of the competitive order.

With McLaren raising safety concerns about the new start procedures and other aspects of the 2026 regulations, and Red Bull appearing to have made significant progress with its new engine, the stage is set for what could be one of the most unpredictable F1 seasons in recent memory.

The testing continues Thursday and Friday, with teams expected to conduct more representative running as they prepare for the season-opening Australian Grand Prix.