McLaren’s Lando Norris edged out Red Bull’s Max Verstappen by just 0.129s in Bahrain F1 test Day 1 as two red flags interrupted the first day of official 2026 Formula 1 pre-season running.
The reigning world champion clocked a blistering 1:34.669 on his 58 laps, setting the benchmark at the Bahrain International Circuit where all 10 teams unveiled their evolved interpretations of the radically overhauled 2026 chassis and power unit rules.
The first official test day following a limited shakedown in Barcelona provided critical insights into reliability, aerodynamics, and energy deployment strategies that will shape the upcoming season.
Opening under a rising sun and a still‑“green” track surface, the morning session quickly became Red Bull’s showpiece with Max Verstappen carving out the quickest time on an initial set of exploratory laps.
The four‑time world champion set a benchmark of 1:35.433 in the RB22 during the first four‑hour run, reflecting the team’s push to clock maximum mileage from the outset rather than saving energy for the afternoon.
Alpine’s Franco Colapinto triggered the first red flag of the day after grinding to a halt on track, limiting him to just 28 laps—the fewest of the day—as the Enstone team grappled with an undisclosed issue that persisted into Pierre Gasly’s afternoon stint.
McLaren‘s Oscar Piastri slotted in second, just 0.169 seconds adrift, after completing 54 laps in the morning before handing over to Lando Norris in the afternoon.
Mercedes’ George Russell held third, over a second and a half off Verstappen’s benchmark, while Haas made a notable impression with Esteban Ocon’s run to fourth.
Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton posted the fifth fastest time in his first competitive run with the Ferrari SF-26 machinery, followed by Racing Bulls rookie Arvid Lindblad in the VCARB03 who later withdrew from Bahrain F1 test Day 1 due to a fluid leak.
Williams debuted their FW48 after Barcelona no-show with Carlos Sainz logging 77 laps—the morning’s highest—for seventh, while Audi’s Gabriel Bortoleto focused on setup validation with 49 laps in eighth.
Combined 2026 Bahrain F1 pre-season test Day 1 Results
Lando Norris dethrones Max Verstappen in afternoon session
Post-lunch, driver swaps injected fresh dynamics: Leclerc took over Ferrari from Hamilton, Antonelli from Russell at Mercedes, Albon from Sainz at Williams, Gasly from Colapinto at Alpine, and Perez from Bottas at the newcomer Cadillac team.
The rising track temperatures, gusty desert winds and the still‑sandy tarmac played havoc with stability, particularly at Turn 10 where multiple drivers ran wide or bounced across the kerbs.
Verstappen and Norris hit the circuit early, with the Dutchman slicing his fastest to a 1:34.830 before Norris unleashed his flyer in the penultimate hour, demoting his rival by a mere 0.129 seconds—albeit the RB22 clocked the highest mileage of the day at 136 laps.
Leclerc rebounded from an off-track excursion at Turn 9 to claim the third fastest lap, just 0.521s adrift, while Ocon’s consistency propelled Haas to fourth overall after logging 115 laps, the second-highest mileage of the day.
Piastri’s morning efforts held firm in fifth (+0.933s) followed by Russell (+1.439s), as Mercedes endured a tough start to the 2026 Bahrain F1 pre-season testing with teammate Antonelli further down in 11th after setup issues and an off-track moment at Turn 10 limited his running to 30 laps.
Hamilton was pushed back to seventh, while Gasly salvaged Alpine’s day in eighth following Colapinto’s woes. Nico Hulkenberg managed to slot his Audi in ninth before his afternoon was marred by a breakdown on the back straight, triggering the second red flag of the day.
READ MORE:
2026 Bahrain F1 pre-season test week 1 schedule: Driver line-ups, start times, how to watch
All 2026 F1 cars and liveries on track: How every team looks for the new season
