Mercedes, Ferrari shine as F1 teams wrap up first Bahrain pre‑season test

The first round of 2026 Formula 1 pre‑season testing concluded today at the Bahrain International Circuit, giving fans a glimpse of the teams’ readiness for the new season. Mercedes emerged as the standout , with Kimi Antonelli setting the fastest lap of the day , while George Russell also posted strong times, and celebrated his birthday on track , adding a personal highlight to the session.

Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton clocked 150 laps , experimenting with various tyre compounds and car configurations, reporting encouraging progress with the complex new SF-26 machine. Hamilton described the car as generally promising, noting areas that still need fine-tuning before the season opener in Melbourne on March 6.

Red Bull, despite showing steady performance, acknowledged Mercedes and Ferrari’s competitive pace . Max Verstappen and rookie Isack Hadjar carried out extensive setup runs, with team engineers closely monitoring energy management and chassis behavior under the 2026 regulations.

McLaren’s Oscar Piastri impressed with consistent lap times, while Aston Martin struggled, completing fewer laps than rivals due to ongoing reliability issues. Team officials admitted they were behind schedule but remained optimistic ahead of next week’s second Bahrain test.

This season also sees the historic entry of Audi as a works team , with the newly formed Audi Revolut F1 Team debuting the R26 car, driven by Nico Hülkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto. The addition of Audi adds fresh excitement to the grid as the sport enters its new technical era.

Today’s sessions were dominated by high lap counts, technical experimentation, and data collection , as all teams adjusted to radical new power units and aerodynamic rules. While no clear pecking order has yet emerged, Mercedes, Ferrari, and Red Bull appear poised to battle at the front once the season begins.

With pre-season testing wrapping up, all eyes now turn to the second Bahrain test starting Feb 18 , where teams will push their machines further and edge closer to unveiling their true performance ahead of the 2026 season.