Reigning Formula 1 World Champion Lando Norris topped the timesheets on the opening day of McLaren’s first 2026 pre-season test in Bahrain. While all teams except Williams had already tested their new cars last month in Barcelona, Wednesday marked the first official session for the 2026 season’s preparations.
Red Bull and Max Verstappen dominated the morning four-hour run, before McLaren and Norris took charge in the afternoon. With just over an hour remaining, Norris set the fastest lap at 1:34.669 on C2 Pirelli tires, surpassing Verstappen’s earlier best. Norris continued running until the session ended, and his lap remained unbeatable for the day.
There were two brief red flags during running: Alpine’s Franco Colapinto stopped the car in the morning, and Audi’s Nico Hulkenberg caused a stoppage in the afternoon, though Hulkenberg managed to restart and return to the pits. Verstappen ended the day in second with a 1:34.789, completing 135 laps, which highlighted the impressive reliability of Red Bull’s new Ford-partnered engine.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc secured third place with a time of 1:35.190, followed by Haas’s Esteban Ocon and McLaren’s Oscar Piastri. Piastri handled the McLaren in the morning session, handing over to Norris in the afternoon. Mercedes’ George Russell finished sixth, but Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s mileage suffered due to technical issues, limiting him to 29 laps and 11th overall.
Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton, who voiced criticisms of the 2026 car on Wednesday, was seventh, followed by Alpine’s Pierre Gasly, Audi’s Hulkenberg, and Williams’ Alex Albon. Rookie Arvid Lindblad of Racing Bulls had to stop early after 75 laps due to a technical fault. Meanwhile, Williams’ Carlos Sainz, Cadillac’s Sergio Perez, and Audi’s Gabriel Bortleto also featured prominently.
Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll faced limited track time due to an issue and finished 17th, positioned just ahead of Colapinto and behind Cadillac’s Valtteri Bottas. Isaac Hajjar, Fernando Alonso, Liam Lawson, and Oliver Bearman did not run on Wednesday.
Fan Take:
Seeing Norris lead the times on day one is an exciting start for McLaren fans and signals a potential shake-up at the front of the grid. This test hints at strong competition and advances in reliability for the 2026 season, promising thrilling battles ahead for racing enthusiasts around the world.
