Norris tops day one in Bahrain as Red Bull’s straight-line edge draws attention

Norris clocked a best time of 1m34.669s in the McLaren during Wednesday’s afternoon session at the Bahrain circuit, finishing 0.129 seconds ahead of Max Verstappen’s Red Bull. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc completed the top three.

While reigning world champion Norris headed the time sheets, Verstappen impressed with durability and consistency in completing 136 laps — the most of any driver — as Red Bull continued to evaluate its new Ford-partnered power unit in race simulations and energy deployment runs.

The opening day also revealed early indications of a potential straight-line performance gap. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff claimed that data analysis suggested Red Bull may hold an advantage in sustained hybrid energy deployment, particularly along the Bahrain circuit’s long straights. According to Wolff, the deficit could equate to as much as one second per lap over consecutive runs.

The 2026 regulations introduce one of the most significant technical overhauls in Formula 1 history, including a redesigned hybrid power unit architecture with a near-equal split between internal combustion and electrical energy output. Managing energy harvesting and deployment effectively has emerged as a critical performance differentiator in early testing.

Despite the headline lap times, teams focused primarily on data collection, reliability and aerodynamic correlation rather than outright performance. With two further days of testing remaining in Bahrain, running programmes are expected to expand to include longer race simulations and more aggressive performance runs ahead of the season opener in Melbourne on March 8.

For the complete guide to the 2026 Formula one season, don't miss Australia's newest Formula 1 focused feature based magazine, Pole Position. Follow the link to pick up your copy.

Day 1 Bahrain Pre-Season Test – Unofficial Timesheet