The first day of the second week of Formula 1 testing in Bahrain has come to an end, and Esteban Ocon has shared his initial thoughts on the Ferrari Power Unit. After the collective shakedown in Barcelona and the three days of testing in Bahrain last week, the teams are back on track for the final test session ahead of the Australian Grand Prix.
At this stage, the priority for every team is to fine-tune the final details, focusing first on reliability before attempting to extract maximum performance from the new-generation cars. Drivers and engineers have now gathered the first significant data on the updated Power Units, and it was precisely on this topic that Esteban Ocon, driver for the Ferrari-powered Haas team, offered his assessment.
The first impressions
The Haas team decided to alternate its drivers during the opening day of testing in Bahrain. Esteban Ocon took to the track in the morning session, while Oliver Bearman drove in the afternoon. Speaking at the end of his morning run, the French driver explained: “We are in the second week and we’ve had several days to reflect on things and think about how to improve them, moving from the first week to the second. Obviously, many things have gone much better this week.”
Regarding the new Ferrari Power Unit, Esteban Ocon appeared particularly satisfied. At the conclusion of his session in Bahrain, he gave his first impressions of the updated component: “On the Power Unit side, I think it has been a very, very important step. We are understanding many more things now and it is much easier to use compared to how it was in Barcelona.”
Ocon also added further considerations about the new Haas car itself: “On the car side, we still need to work a bit more on the balance and try to make it rotate the way we like, especially with the new tyre compounds. That will be the target and that’s what we are working on.”
Overall, the early feedback from Bahrain suggests that the Ferrari Power Unit has taken a clear step forward in terms of usability and understanding, providing an encouraging sign for customer teams such as Haas as preparations continue for the start of the Formula 1 season.
The feedback from the Bahrain paddock suggests that Ferrari has made considerable strides in refining its 2026 Power Unit, with Esteban Ocon confirming that the engine is becoming more user-friendly and predictable for the drivers. As Haas continues to balance engine integration with chassis fine-tuning, the early signs point toward a competitive and reliable start for the Ferrari-powered teams heading into the season opener in Melbourne.
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