George Russell is among the many drivers impressed by Red Bull during the pre-season F1 tests in Bahrain. While several teams demonstrated reliability and power that could surprise this season, Red Bull’s performance has caught the attention of the entire paddock.
Ferrari showed significant potential during the Bahrain tests, with Charles Leclerc completing an impressive 142 laps on the second day without any issues. Lewis Hamilton was also consistent throughout the sessions, only encountering a minor problem at the very end of the tests, which team principal Fred Vasseur later explained was an intentional stop.
For Mercedes, the Power Unit remains a point of strength, but according to George Russell, Red Bull is the team to fear most. The 2026 F1 season promises to be “heated” both on and off the track, especially with ongoing debates over Mercedes’ compression ratio and the so-called “trick” that has continued to generate controversy across the paddock.
Despite these discussions, George Russell believes Red Bull will be the team to beat this year. Speaking to the media in Bahrain, the British driver dismissed the chatter about Mercedes, calling it “all speculation, because at this point nobody really knows anything.”
Instead, Russell placed his emphasis firmly on Red Bull: “In Barcelona, right from day one, they started running and were well ahead of all their rivals, including us, Ferrari, and the others. On the first day here in Bahrain, once again, they did a great job. So, at the moment, they are definitely the team to beat.”
Russell is confident that by the time all teams arrive in Melbourne for the season opener, “Red Bull will have an advantage. We have work to do.” Speaking to the BBC, he highlighted the specific edge he believes the Milton Keynes team holds: “It ranges from half a second to a full second per lap.” He added confidently, “Red Bull will be ahead after the three hours of free practice in Melbourne.”
Mercedes favored? Russell responds to Verstappen
Max Verstappen, however, has a different perspective. The four-time world champion at Red Bull believes rival teams have yet to reveal their full potential. Russell’s response was prompt: “I hope they’ve got a big ace up their sleeve! Of course, during testing nobody was pushing 100%, and everyone is still learning, but the truth is [at Red Bull, ed.] they started much better than any other team.”
George Russell also acknowledged that Ferrari is “in a good position.” He explained, “I think this year we have presented a very competitive car. But of course, all the discussions about our potential have focused on the power unit. There will be significant developments, but at the moment Red Bull is the team to beat in this area.”
George Russell’s candid assessment suggests that while the political battle over engine regulations continues to swirl, the raw data from the track points toward a Red Bull RB22 that is already operating at an elite level. By identifying a gap of up to a second per lap, Russell has effectively shifted the pressure back onto Milton Keynes, signaling that while Mercedes and Ferrari have a solid foundation, they are still chasing the benchmark set by the world champions.
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