Norris heads Verstappen and Leclerc on first day in Bahrain – Formula 1

Lead

On Wednesday at the Bahrain International Circuit, Lando Norris set the fastest time as pre-season testing began, posting a 1:34.669 lap in the afternoon session. Max Verstappen had topped the morning running but finished the day 0.129 seconds behind Norris, while Charles Leclerc was roughly half a second off the pace in third. The day’s sessions were dominated by teams and drivers getting early mileage on all-new 2026-spec machinery with revised aerodynamics and upgraded power units. Several drivers completed full-day stints and teams left Sakhir with a heavy data backlog ahead of Thursday’s running.

Key takeaways

• Lando Norris recorded the quickest lap of the day, a 1m 34.669s during the afternoon session.
• Max Verstappen was second overall, 0.129s slower than Norris and logged more than 130 laps across the day.
• Charles Leclerc placed third, about 0.5s adrift of Norris’ pace on day one.
• Esteban Ocon passed the 100-lap mark individually; he finished fourth on the timesheet.
• Oscar Piastri ran in the morning, with Norris taking over the McLaren for the afternoon; Liam Lawson sat out as he marked his birthday.
• Nico Hülkenberg caused a brief red flag when his Audi stopped before the final corner but later returned to the pits and rejoined the session.
• Cadillac split driving duties between Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas, with Gabriel Bortoleto sandwiched between them in the standings (14–16).
• Teams will analyse extensive telemetry overnight as Isack Hadjar, Fernando Alonso, Ollie Bearman and Liam Lawson are scheduled to run on Thursday.

Background

This winter’s first official test at Sakhir arrives amid one of the bigger technical transitions in recent F1 seasons. Teams are trialling cars built to new 2026 regulations that include substantial aerodynamic changes and major power-unit revisions aimed at delivering more electrical power and new energy-management modes. Those changes have made early testing less directly comparable to prior years; run programmes, fuel loads and specific power-unit modes vary widely between teams.

Pre-season tests remain primarily about reliability, systems integration and gathering baseline data rather than producing definitive pace lines. Despite that, headline lap times still attract attention as teams and rivals look for early indications of competitiveness. For midfield outfits and rookies, these opening days are crucial to iron out software, hydraulics and packaging issues before the first grand prix.

Main event

The morning running at Sakhir was led by Max Verstappen, who completed a busy opening stint before handing his car to teammates and engineers for data review. In the afternoon, Lando Norris replaced Oscar Piastri in the McLaren and put together a string of laps that culminated in the day’s benchmark 1:34.669 as twilight fell over the desert circuit. That late-session time stood despite teams typically switching to higher-fuel or long-run programmes at different points of the day.

Verstappen ended with the most laps of the day — more than 130 — reflecting Red Bull’s emphasis on mileage and systems checks rather than outright one-lap simulation in the final hours. Charles Leclerc was third overall, roughly half a second adrift of Norris, while Esteban Ocon completed a significant mileage tally and finished fourth. Oscar Piastri’s morning work for McLaren put him inside the top six by day’s end.

A mid-session interruption occurred when Nico Hülkenberg’s Audi stopped near the final corner, briefly prompting a red flag. He managed to return to the pits and rejoin the session about 15 minutes later, indicating a recoverable issue rather than a terminal failure. Other drivers who ran full-day programmes included a mix of established names and newer entrants; Arvid Lindblad, the only listed 2026 rookie, handled the full first day in the Racing Bulls car while team mate Liam Lawson observed from the garage.

Analysis & implications

Early pace in testing should be viewed with healthy skepticism: teams run different fuel loads, evaluate alternative aero packages and toggle power-unit modes that alter lap times substantially. Norris’s 1:34.669 is a meaningful benchmark for McLaren’s programme but does not yet equate to a definitive performance hierarchy. Verstappen’s heavy mileage, by contrast, is a stronger signal about Red Bull’s reliability and systems readiness heading into the remainder of the test.

For Ferrari and Leclerc, a third-place showing with a gap of roughly half a second suggests competitive potential but also underlines the work required to close margins over the frontrunners. Midfield runners such as Haas, Alpine and Williams will prioritise consistent running and component validation in the coming days; Williams in particular welcomed usable track time after missing the Barcelona shakedown due to preparation delays.

The revised power units — with increased electrical power and additional modes — will change strategic trade-offs during races in 2026, placing a premium on energy management and software strategy. Teams that can extract reliable electrical performance and integrate it with aero behaviour may unlock race-weekend advantages once regulations are fully operational. From an engineering perspective, the testers who combined strong lap time with high mileage (notably Verstappen and Ocon) leave the paddock with the clearest short-term upside.

Comparison & data

The table highlights the most verifiable numerical takeaways: Norris’ benchmark lap, Verstappen’s very high lap count and Ocon’s 100+ laps milestone. Because teams do not publish full run-by-run fuel or mode details, direct comparison of single-lap times across teams is limited. The primary value from this table is identifying who combined reliable running with competitive times on day one.

Reactions & quotes

Teams emphasised the dual goals of mileage and data collection rather than declaring a pecking order after a single day.

A productive start — good mileage and useful telemetry to take back to the garage.

McLaren (team statement)

McLaren framed Norris’ afternoon performance in terms of programme objectives, noting engineers returned “useful telemetry” for overnight analysis. The team stressed that the session served to validate new-package behaviours and power-unit integration rather than to make definitive speed claims.

Solid running and lots of laps — reliability is the priority on day one.

Red Bull (team report)

Red Bull underlined the value of extensive mileage: more than 130 laps for Verstappen indicated a focus on systems checks and long-run durability. The team described pace as secondary to confirming that revised elements of the car and power unit operated reliably together.

We had an interruption but the car was back on track; we’re learning quickly.

Audi (session briefing)

Audi acknowledged the brief stoppage caused by Nico Hülkenberg’s halt before the final corner, but emphasised the issue was resolved without extended downtime. The comment was offered to reassure that the car’s underlying systems remained intact and test objectives could continue.

Unconfirmed

• Exact fuel loads and run programmes for each team were not published and therefore make direct lap-time comparisons speculative.
• The precise technical cause of Nico Hülkenberg’s stoppage has not been publicly detailed by Audi at the time of writing.
• Any implied long-term pecking order based solely on day-one times remains unverified until more consistent multi-day data is available.

Bottom line

Lando Norris emerged as the headline name on day one in Bahrain with a 1:34.669 lap, but the early leaderboard should be interpreted cautiously: teams ran mixed programmes with differing fuel loads and power-unit settings. Max Verstappen’s heavy mileage (130+ laps) is an encouraging sign for Red Bull’s early reliability, while Charles Leclerc’s third place shows Ferrari is present near the front but still a few tenths adrift.

As testing continues, the focus will shift from headline lap times to how teams convert data into consistent race pace and reliability. Thursday’s sessions — which will feature different driver line-ups including Fernando Alonso and Liam Lawson — should provide clearer insight into which outfits have real short-run speed and which are prioritising longer-term validation.

Sources

• Formula 1 — Official Formula 1 website (press/coverage)