Norris Tops Day One of 2026 Pre-Season Testing in Bahrain

Current World Champion Lando Norris began his title defence in style on February 11, topping the timesheets on the opening day of pre-season testing in Bahrain. As Formula 1 ushered in a radical new generation of regulations, it was a familiar battle at the front between McLaren and Red Bull.

The afternoon session took place under optimal conditions, with clear skies and temperatures hovering around 22 degrees Celsius before the floodlights illuminated the Sakhir circuit.

Champions set the pace

Norris, embarking on his eighth season in the sport, wasted little time getting to grips with his 2026 challenger. Having sat out the morning session while team-mate Oscar Piastri handled driving duties, the Briton clocked a 1m 34.669s on the C2 compound to finish the day 0.129s clear of Max Verstappen.

It was an ominous day for the rest of the grid regarding Red Bull. Verstappen was not only quick but relentlessly reliable; the Dutchman completed a staggering 136 laps, more than double a race distance, as the new Red Bull Ford Powertrains project enjoyed a glitch-free debut.

Ferrari also showed promise, with Charles Leclerc finishing third fastest. The Monegasque driver, now in his eighth season with the Scuderia, completed a solid programme to finish half a second off Norris’s benchmark.

Mercedes and Aston Martin face hurdles

While the top three teams enjoyed smooth running, it was a frustrating afternoon for Mercedes and rookie Kimi Antonelli. After George Russell managed a productive 56 laps in the morning, Antonelli was restricted to the garage for the vast majority of the afternoon.

The team later confirmed they were investigating an issue discovered during planned set-up changes. The young Italian eventually returned to the track in the final hour to log some laps on C1 tyres, but it was valuable track time lost for the Silver Arrows.

Aston Martin endured a similarly difficult afternoon. Lance Stroll was absent from the track for long periods and managed just 36 laps in total, leaving the team on the back foot compared to their midfield rivals.

New entrants and active aero

The 2026 regulations were on full display, with the cars looking noticeably smaller and cleaner without wheel arches. The most striking visual change was the active aerodynamics, with front and rear wings flattening out on the straights to reduce drag, a feature that looks set to define the racing dynamic this season.

Among the new faces, the Cadillac and Audi projects had mixed fortunes. Nico Hulkenberg caused the session’s only red flag when his Audi ground to a halt before the final corner, though he was able to return to the pits unaided and resume testing with flow-vis paint on the car’s revamped sidepods.

Sergio Perez, returning to the grid with Cadillac alongside Valtteri Bottas, enjoyed a steady debut with the American outfit. Meanwhile, Williams appear to have recovered well from missing the Barcelona shakedown, logging over 140 laps between Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon.

Haas and Alpine rack up mileage

Elsewhere in the midfield, Esteban Ocon completed a marathon session for Haas, joining the ‘century club’ with over 100 laps on the board. Pierre Gasly had a delayed start to his afternoon for Alpine but managed to salvage a decent run plan later in the day.

With Day 1 complete, the teams will now analyse terabytes of data overnight before returning for the second day of testing tomorrow.

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