The 2026 season hasn't even started yet, but the tone has already been set. In Sakhir, Lando Norris posted the fastest time on the first day of testing with a 1:34.669 in his McLaren. The reigning world champion, now sporting the number 1, edged out Max Verstappen by just 0,129 seconds.
Norris sets the tone
Behind the leading duo, Charles Leclerc place Classic Ferrari for sale at more than a second, while McLaren confirms its robustness with a dual program Norris/Piastres Perfectly executed. The times should be taken with a grain of salt, but the message is clear: Woking is ready and Lando Norris Also..
At Red Bull, Attention is not focused solely on the stopwatch. Verstappen racked up the laps (more than 130), proof that the new in-house engine, developed after the break with Honda, already seems reliable. A strong signal sent to Norris including.
Widely tipped to be the favorite after Barcelona, Mercedes Benz had a quieter day. George Russell et Kimi Antonelli They racked up the kilometers without triggering any alarm bells. Nothing alarming, but no demonstration either.
Classic Ferrari for sale ran the SF-26 with Lewis Hamilton and Leclerc (126 tcumulative bears), while Williams was surprising in its productivity: Albon et Sainz They totaled 144 loops, enough to restore Grove's confidence.
More discreet, Aston Martin drove little with Lance stroll, while the new structures Cadillac et Sauber displayed a solid mileage, far from the times achieved by Norris nevertheless.
But the other bombshell of the day comes from the statements of Toto wolff. The boss of Mercedes Benz estimate that Red Bull is now "the reference", particularly on straight-line energy deployment under the new 2026 regulations.
"They are capable of expending far more energy than anyone else," he admits. And when asked if Mercedes Benz can do the same? Not today. »
The engine war has already begun, fueled by controversy surrounding compression ratios and regulatory interpretations. FIA promises clarification before Melbourne.
Bahrain does not crown a champion. But it already reveals the front lines.
