Formula 1 News: Norris tops Day 1 testing in Bahrain

Lando Norris set the benchmark on the first day of Formula 1 pre-season testing at the Bahrain International Circuit, driving the Rob Marshall-designed McLaren MCL40 to the fastest time of the session.

–by Mark Cipolloni–

Norris posted a lap of 1m34.669s, finishing 0.129 seconds ahead of Max Verstappen in the Red Bull-Ford. Early indications suggest that McLaren’s new car, like its predecessor, will once again be a formidable contender in 2026.

Verstappen was the standout for mileage, completing an impressive 136 laps — the most of any driver. The reigning champion’s heavy workload appeared to be a deliberate strategy, ensuring the team gathered maximum data ahead of rookie teammate Isack Hadjar’s running on Day 2. The new Red Bull-Ford power unit also showed strong reliability throughout the day.

Verstappen led the morning session and remained near the top of the timesheets all day.

Charles Leclerc finished third for Ferrari, 0.521 seconds behind Norris. Esteban Ocon impressed in fourth for Haas-Ferrari, just 0.909 seconds off the pace, while Oscar Piastri rounded out the top five in the second McLaren, 0.933 seconds slower than his teammate Norris.

So far, the new Red Bull-Ford power unit has proven reliable, although Arvind Lindblad did have to stop for a fluid leak in the Racing Bulls car with the same engine.

Mixed fortunes for the rest of the grid

While McLaren and Red Bull enjoyed a productive and largely trouble-free day, others were not so fortunate.

Aston Martin continued to struggle with running, leaving Lance Stroll on just 36 laps. Arvid Lindblad also had limited time on track, and Franco Colapinto’s session was cut short after he stopped on track in the morning. Pierre Gasly at least managed some useful laps for Alpine in the afternoon.

In contrast, Cadillac and Williams had excellent days for mileage, racking up 102 and 144 laps respectively.

Teams will now spend the evening and overnight hours analyzing data from both the circuit and their factories. The focus will be on optimizing setups and beginning to understand the true characteristics of these all-new 2026 cars.

Testing continues tomorrow with more running expected as teams push to unlock the performance of the new generation of cars.

2026 Bahrain Preseason Test Times – Day 1