Merc teams try to say Verstappen fastest to hide their illegal engine

(GMM) Max Verstappen (pictured) may be loudly criticizing Formula 1’s new 2026 cars – but many in the Bahrain International Circuit paddock (all the Mercedes drivers and team owners) believe Red Bull is already the team to beat.

On day 2 of the Bahrain test, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff declared that Red Bull appeared “clearly ahead”, although some suspect the Austrian is deflecting attention amid the controversy surrounding Mercedes’ own engine compression concept.

Toto Wolff, Executive director and Team Principal at Mercedes AMG F1 Team, during the Winter testing days 1, Formula 1 World Championship 2026 Bahrain 11-13 February 2026

McLaren designer Rob Marshall was more cautious when asked if Red Bull is the early favorite.

“I haven’t personally seen it yet, so I can’t say anything about that,” he said. “The car certainly looks pretty good, that’s for sure.”

Others were more direct.

Carlos Sainz, Mercedes-powered at Williams, said the data paints a clear picture.

“Of course, we have all the GPS data of our competitors, and it became clear that Red Bull-Ford, with Max, is a significant step ahead of everyone,” Sainz said.

“It’s truly impressive that they managed to come to the first race with completely new regulations, a completely new engine, and new people, and immediately have the fastest car. You have to give them credit for that.”

Carlos Sainz of Spain driving the (55) Williams FW48 Mercedes on track during day one of F1 Testing at Bahrain International Circuit on February 11, 2026 in Bahrain, Bahrain. (Photo by Joe Portlock/Getty Images for Pirelli)

Williams teammate Alex Albon also pointed to Red Bull’s straight-line strength.

“I think when it comes to cornering, a few teams are competitive,” he said. “The four top teams are all good at the winding stretches, but Red Bull are strong on the straights, from what we’ve seen so far.”

Audi’s Gabriel Bortoleto, however, warned against drawing conclusions too early.

“That’s a bold statement after the first day of testing,” the Brazilian said of Wolff’s remarks. “I don’t know why he says that, maybe he has a reason for that.

“In Melbourne it can all be different again. And then you will say to me ‘What happened to the Red Bull?”

05 Gabriel Bortoleto, (BRA), Revolut Audi F1 Team R26, during the Winter testing days 1, Formula 1 World Championship 2026 Bahrain 11-13 February 2026

Part of Verstappen’s apparent edge may lie in his aggressive energy recovery technique, including selecting first gear under braking to maximize battery charge. Bortoleto and Nico Hulkenberg were seen attempting the same approach but struggled to control rear instability, while Sainz admitted: “We see what the others are doing, and we try to copy it.”

Haas driver Esteban Ocon summed up the challenge: “It’s great, but difficult to drive F1 cars no – you have to do go-kart-style maneuvers to recharge, for example.”

Mercedes, meanwhile, endured obvious engine issues on Thursday, fueling further speculation that the Silver Arrows may not have everything under control despite Wolff’s public comments.

Kimi Antonelli was even spotted studying rivals from trackside.

“I’m trying to understand the behavior of all the cars and see the differences compared to ours,” he said. “Red Bull seems to be doing very well, as does McLaren. I have to say, however, that Ferrari also seems to be doing well.”