The 2026 season begins: first data from Bahrain testing
The 2026 Formula 1 season has officially begun with pre-season testing in Bahrain and, at last, we have had the opportunity to observe and analyse the first data coming from the Sakhir circuit. It is almost unnecessary to point out that, in terms of outright performance, these numbers cannot yet be considered fully representative. However, even from the very first day running with the new-generation cars, numerous technical insights have already emerged. Here, we summarise the key takeaways to begin understanding what we can expect on track under the new technical regulations.
Focus on the straights rather than the corners
It is well known that the major revolution in the 2026 regulations lies in the introduction of the new Power Units, and efficiency in managing them will almost certainly be a potential key to on-track success. After a long era of technical stability on the engine front, we had grown accustomed to looking for performance differences in cornering to identify where the biggest gaps were generated, especially in slow corners during the ground-effect era of heavy and not particularly agile cars.
What day one of the 2026 tests revealed, however, suggests the beginning of a shift in that paradigm. There were truly significant differences in straight-line speeds and in energy deployment management within the same lap, with a clearly visible impact on lap times. The first major distinction concerned the power delivered to the ground during laps run in what we could call “performance mode” – meaning an all-out attempt at a single-lap time – compared to race simulation conditions. The differences in top speed for all teams between these two scenarios were striking. On a qualifying-style lap, power delivery was full and sustained up to high revs, whereas in race simulations the cars reached top speed much earlier and then entered a long clipping phase.
Even within a single lap, we observed significant variations in deployed power, with a marked effect on sector times. A classic example is the fastest lap set by Lando Norris. The reigning World Champion demonstrated exactly how, with these new cars, the power unit effect could have an exponentially greater influence than in the past.
Looking at the data and focusing on straight-line speeds, we can see that in the first sector – particularly along the start-finish straight – the McLaren number 1 was clearly slower than both Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc, with as much as 11 km/h less top speed than the Red Bull. A poor Turn 4 then left Norris over half a second behind Verstappen. In the second sector, however, the picture began to change. Helped in part by a noticeable mistake from Verstappen through the fast direction change at Turns 7 and 8, Lando Norris halved the deficit. Notably, on the straight before Turn 10, it was the British driver who was fastest, with an 8 km/h advantage over Max Verstappen and 10 km/h over Charles Leclerc.
Verstappen responded with a strong run through Turn 12, but it was again Norris who deployed full power along the long straight leading to the final corner, pulling past both Leclerc and Verstappen with an advantage of 13 and 14 km/h respectively – differences that we have not been accustomed to seeing so pronounced in recent years. Verstappen, who had by then used up all his first-sector advantage, was on par with Norris’ time, but another error at the final corner denied him the fastest lap. Above all, it highlighted how engine modes now have a truly significant impact on performance.
Red Bull pushing the power unit hard all day
Another aspect we noticed from the morning onwards was that Red Bull appears to be conducting a stress validation process on its new power unit developed in Milton Keynes. Verstappen recorded the highest top speed of the day – 344 km/h without slipstream, compared to 332 km/h for the next fastest, Esteban Ocon – and this was not an isolated case. The Dutch driver completed over 120 laps, frequently chasing peak performance with speed traps often reading between 335 and 338 km/h.
In the morning, Lindblad in the VCARB also gave the impression of pushing hard on the engine front, reinforcing the idea that the team led by Laurent Mekies intends to thoroughly test the new unit under demanding conditions. This approach also brings some side considerations, such as data that was not particularly impressive for the new RB22 in high-downforce sections of the track. At times, the car appeared either heavy or lacking in overall aerodynamic load.
Beyond the impressive reliability shown by a power unit entirely developed by Red Bull, it will therefore be crucial in the coming days to evaluate aerodynamic performance in terms of both load and efficiency. It remains to be seen whether, in optimising battery consumption, the Milton Keynes team may even have sacrificed a few points of downforce.
McLaren solid and composed, Ferrari strong on energy but rear instability to address
With Mercedes seen only in the morning session with George Russell – before losing almost the entire afternoon due to a technical issue – the other cars we were able to analyse more closely, albeit based on very early data, were McLaren and Ferrari.
The reigning World Champions appeared well prepared, with a car that continues to reflect their established DNA. Aerodynamic load once again seemed to be a defining characteristic, with high cornering speeds and strong pace over longer stints. Power from the Mercedes power unit never appeared lacking, although it required a certain degree of management even within a single lap. Notably, when Norris requested significantly higher power output than his rivals, the rear end showed no particular difficulty in putting that power down, remaining relatively stable. It will be interesting to see whether this trend continues in the coming days.
The impressions from the SF-26 were somewhat different. There is no need for alarmism at this stage, but telemetry data analysed over multiple laps – both from Lewis Hamilton in the morning and Charles Leclerc in the afternoon – suggests that the rear of the Ferrari is currently still somewhat unstable. The drivers frequently appeared engaged in managing the car through cornering phases and especially on corner exit.
Both Ferrari drivers showed some difficulty in the rapid direction changes through the “snake” section in sector two, indicating that the optimal balance has not yet been found. On the engine side, however, there were no evident shortcomings. On the contrary, Charles Leclerc in particular displayed strong straight-line bursts, with energy levels often lasting for nearly the entire lap. That said, there were moments when recharging was required, visible in the form of lift-and-coast phases, particularly before Turn 4.
It should be emphasised that this is not an issue exclusive to Ferrari. We saw all drivers – including Verstappen and Norris – experimenting with various lift-and-coast techniques and energy management strategies at multiple points around the circuit. These aspects will be analysed in greater detail over the coming days.
Day two ahead: searching for confirmation and further developments
Testing will continue with another eight hours of track time, during which we will try to understand whether teams begin to converge on certain solutions or whether differences in interpretation – especially regarding power unit management – remain significant. At the same time, it will be interesting to observe the first aerodynamic updates introduced by the teams, in order to better understand how they are working on the crucial interaction between aerodynamics and engine performance under the 2026 Formula 1 regulations.
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