Bahrain Test Reveals Early 2026 F1 Dynamics Amidst Regulatory Overhaul

Formula 1 has concluded its inaugural official pre-season test for the 2026 campaign in Bahrain, offering the first comprehensive glimpse into the sweeping regulation changes set to debut in two years. With all 11 teams present at the Sakhir circuit, the three-day session provided critical data and sparked numerous discussions, from identifying early performance benchmarks to reigning champion Max Verstappen openly voicing his displeasure with certain aspects of the new rules. The test, a crucial preliminary phase for all constructors, focused on reliability, data gathering, and initial performance evaluation under the impending technical directives.

Antonelli Leads on Pace, But Mileage Concerns Emerge

Mercedes-Benz emerged at the top of the timesheets, with their drivers setting the only laps under the 1 minute 34 second mark throughout the test. Italian prodigy Andrea Kimi Antonelli, currently 19 years old and in what is described as his "sophomore year" of significant testing opportunities, recorded the fastest overall lap. On Friday, Antonelli clocked an impressive 1 minute 33.669 seconds, placing him 0.249 seconds ahead of his teammate, George Russell, who secured the second-fastest time on the final day.

However, as is customary in pre-season testing, outright lap times are often viewed with a degree of caution. The primary objective during these sessions is typically mileage accumulation, which provides invaluable data on reliability, component longevity, and the car’s behaviour across various setups and fuel loads. In this crucial aspect, Antonelli’s performance fell short. His Mercedes W17 chassis experienced several technical issues, resulting in him completing the fewest laps of any driver present. A notable setback occurred on the morning of day two, when a power unit problem restricted him to just three laps.

Related News :

In contrast, a significant number of drivers demonstrated exceptional reliability and endurance, with seven individuals surpassing or reaching the 200-lap mark. These included Charles Leclerc, Oscar Piastri, Carlos Sainz, Alex Albon, Lando Norris, Lewis Hamilton, and Oliver Bearman. This extensive running underscores the focus many teams placed on gathering substantial data under the new regulations.

The aggregated driver performance across the three days of testing is summarised below:

P	DRIVER	TEAM	Laps	Time (day)	Tires
1	Antonelli	Mercedes	94	1’33"669 (J3)	C3
2	Russell	Mercedes	188	1’33"918 (J3)	C3
3	Hamilton	Ferrari	202	1’34"209 (D3)	C3
4	Leclerc	Ferrari	219	1’34"273 (D2)	C3
5	Piastri	McLaren	215	1’34"549 (D3)	C3
6	Norris	McLaren	207	1’34"669 (D1)	C2
7	Verstappen	Red Bull	197	1’34"798 (D1)	C3
8	Bearman	Haas	200	1’35"394 (D2)	C3
9	Hadjar	Red Bull	146	1’35"561 (D2)	C3
10	Ocon	Haas	190	1’35"578 (D1)	C3
11	Colapinto	Alpine	172	1’35"806 (D3)	C3
12	Hülkenberg	Audi	178	1’36"291 (J3)	C3
13	Bortoleto	Audi	176	1’36"670 (Day 2)	C3
14	Gasly	Alpine	146	1’36"723 (D2)	C3
15	Albon	Williams	208	1’36"793 (D3)	C3
16	Lawson	Racing Bulls	169	1’36"808 (D3)	C3
17	Bottas	Cadillac	153	1’36"824 (D2)	C3
18	Sainz	Williams	214	1’37"186 (J3)	C2
19	Pérez	Cadillac	167	1’37"365 (J3)	C3
20	Lindblad	Racing Bulls	158	1’37"470 (D2)	C3
21	Stroll	Aston Martin	108	1’38"165 (D3)	C3
22	Alonso	Aston Martin	98	1’38"248 (D2)	C3

McLaren and Williams Lead in Mileage Accumulation

In terms of overall distance covered, four teams surpassed the 2,000-kilometre mark during the Bahrain test. McLaren and Williams jointly topped this crucial metric, each accumulating an impressive 2,284 kilometres. This performance is particularly encouraging for the James Vowles-led Williams outfit, which had notably been absent from the preceding Barcelona shakedown. Their strong showing in Bahrain suggests a successful recovery and robust initial reliability for their new challenger.

Conversely, Mercedes, despite its strong performance in Catalonia, registered the second-fewest laps in Bahrain. The team’s numerous technical difficulties, including the power unit problem that severely limited Antonelli’s running on day two, restricted their overall distance. Behind Mercedes, Aston Martin recorded the lowest mileage among all teams. The British constructor endured various delays and technical issues, limiting their total distance to just over 1,000 kilometres, indicating a challenging start to their 2026 development program.

The total kilometres completed by each team, including previous shakedown data from Barcelona where applicable, are detailed below:

Team	Engine	Laps (Bahrain 1)	KM (Bahrain 1)	Total KM (Bahrain 1 + Barcelona)
McLaren	Mercedes	422	2284	3639
Williams	Mercedes	422	2284	2284
Ferrari	Ferrari	421	2279	4328
Haas	Ferrari	390	2111	3932
Audi	Audi	354	1916	3010
Red Bull	Red Bull Ford	343	1856	3267
Racing Bulls	Red Bull Ford	327	1770	3255
Cadillac	Ferrari	320	1732	2496
Alpine	Mercedes	318	1721	3346
Mercedes	Mercedes	282	1526	3864
Aston	Honda	206	1115	1422

Honda Lags Among Power Unit Manufacturers

From an engine supplier perspective, Mercedes power units collectively accumulated the most mileage, surpassing 13,000 kilometres in total. This extensive running is largely attributable to Mercedes supplying four teams on the grid, making their power unit the most widely deployed.

However, when evaluating performance based on average kilometres per squad, Ferrari’s power units demonstrated superior reliability and endurance. Each team utilising an engine from the Italian marque averaged over 2,000 kilometres during the Bahrain test, indicating a robust and consistent performance across their client teams.

Audi, making its Formula 1 debut this year as an engine manufacturer, delivered a surprisingly strong performance. Their factory squad recorded an average mileage just shy of Mercedes’ average and notably surpassed that of Red Bull Ford, an impressive feat for a newcomer to the highly competitive F1 engine landscape.

Conversely, Honda-powered teams struggled significantly. As the exclusive supplier to Aston Martin, Honda recorded the least mileage among all five power unit manufacturers in Formula 1, mirroring Aston Martin’s overall low team mileage and highlighting potential areas for improvement in their 2026 power unit development.

The performance breakdown for each engine manufacturer is as follows:

Engine manufacturer	Laps	KM (Bahrain 1)	Average KM per team (Bahrain 1)	Total KM (Bahrain 1 + Barcelona)
Mercedes	1,444	7815	1954	13,133
Ferrari	1131	6121	2040	10,736
Red Bull Ford	670	3,626	1,813	6,523
Audi	354	1916	1916	3010
Honda	206	1115	1115	1422

Red Flags Punctuate Bahrain Testing

The Bahrain test was punctuated by several red flag incidents, interrupting the flow of running and providing insights into both potential technical issues and routine procedural checks. A total of eleven red flags were deployed across the three days.

On Wednesday, the first day of testing, two red flags were shown: one for Alpine driver Colapinto at 9:37 AM for an unknown reason, and another for Audi’s Hülkenberg at 2:32 PM, also due to an unspecified issue.

Thursday saw a higher number of interruptions. Cadillac’s Pérez triggered the first red flag at 8:10 AM, again for an unknown reason. This was followed by three procedural red flags: an FIA test at 11:52 AM, a debris caution at 2:35 PM, and another FIA test at 4:53 PM. Alpine’s Gasly also caused a red flag at 2:53 PM for an unknown reason. The day concluded with a final FIA test at 5:00 PM.

Friday, the concluding day, experienced fewer, but equally significant, red flag moments. Cadillac’s Bottas stopped on track at 8:50 AM due to a cooling issue, a specific technical problem for the team. Later in the afternoon, Lewis Hamilton, driving for Ferrari as per the testing data, caused a red flag at 4:49 PM after reportedly running out of fuel. The final red flag of the test, at 4:55 PM, was for another routine FIA test. These interruptions, while sometimes for standard checks, also highlight the challenges of operating new machinery under intense testing conditions.

The initial Bahrain test for the 2026 Formula 1 regulations has offered a complex picture. While Mercedes showed promising pace, their reliability concerns are evident. McLaren and Williams demonstrated strong initial reliability, while Ferrari’s power units proved consistently robust. The struggles of Aston Martin and Honda, contrasted with Audi’s encouraging debut, suggest a dynamic development race ahead as teams prepare for the significant technical overhaul in the coming seasons.

💬 Tinggalkan Komentar dengan Facebook

Author Profile

Jonas Leo: Jonas Leo is a passionate motorsport journalist and lifelong Formula 1 enthusiast. With a sharp eye for race strategy and driver performance, he brings readers closer to the world of Grand Prix racing through in-depth analysis, breaking news, and exclusive paddock insights. Jonas has covered everything from preseason testing to dramatic title deciders, capturing the emotion and precision that define modern F1. When he’s not tracking lap times or pit stop tactics, he enjoys exploring classic racing archives and writing about the evolution of F1 technology.