F1 Stream of Pre-Season Testing
Event details:
DATE: Fen 18 2026
TIME: 8:00am CET
TRACK: Bahrain International Circuit
Three days in the Sakhir desert were enough to confirm one thing: the 2026 generation of Formula 1 cars is going to divide opinion long before it crowns a champion. New power units, aggressive energy management, active aerodynamics and lighter chassis concepts made this first official test less about lap times and more about survival, understanding and political positioning.
By the time the chequered flag fell on Friday evening, some teams left buoyant, others quietly worried, and a few already playing the familiar game of pointing fingers at rivals and insisting they are the ones to beat.
Testing, as ever, gave us clues rather than answers – but some patterns were impossible to ignore.
The headline act: engines, energy and uncomfortable truths
The paddock buzz revolved around one subject more than any other: power unit efficiency. Straight-line speed and energy deployment varied wildly, and nowhere was that more obvious than with Red Bull Racing.
Their all-new in-house Red Bull–Ford power unit ran cleanly, consistently and, crucially, looked extremely effective in deploying energy down the straights. Rivals privately admitted it was the most eye-catching engine package of the test. Onboard comparisons suggested gains of several tenths on full deployment zones, even when lap times didn’t always reflect it.
Drivers, meanwhile, were split on the feel of the new cars. Max Verstappen was openly sceptical, suggesting the constant energy calculations had diluted the instinctive edge of driving. Others argued the challenge is simply a new layer of complexity – and one drivers must master or be left behind.
Winners: who left Bahrain smiling?
Red Bull Racing
Reliability, power and confidence. Red Bull completed more than 670 laps across their two cars, rarely stopped running, and gathered the kind of data that lets engineers sleep at night. Whether they are quickest is unclear – but they look ready.
Ferrari
Quietly one of the most impressive operations of the week. Ferrari focused entirely on correlation and long-run understanding with their Spec-A car, racking up 420 laps with minimal drama. No flashy times, no hype – just a strong baseline and plenty left to unlock.
Mercedes
After early suspension and power unit hiccups, Mercedes recovered superbly. A huge 139-lap final day salvaged their programme, and race simulation data suggested they are extremely strong on longer stints, particularly in energy preservation. Several teams privately believe Mercedes may be masking a straight-line advantage.
Williams
After missing the Barcelona shakedown, Williams responded with 422 laps, matching McLaren for distance covered. Outright pace remains unknown, but reliability was a major win for a team playing catch-up.
Cadillac
For a brand-new entry, this was an excellent first stress test. Cadillac completed over 1,700km, ran race simulations and avoided major operational errors. They may start the season at the back, but the foundations look solid – and that’s no small achievement.
Losers: warning lights already flashing
Aston Martin
The biggest concern of the week. Despite enormous investment, Aston Martin managed just 206 laps, the lowest of any team. Reliability gremlins, limited setup work and worrying pace left them firmly on the back foot.
For Fernando Alonso, the situation is especially uncomfortable. Approaching the final chapters of his career, a season spent recovering rather than fighting at the front would be a bitter pill.
Kimi Antonelli
A bruising test for the young Mercedes driver. Early issues restricted him to barely 30 laps across the first two days. Although he rebounded with the fastest lap of the test on Friday, his 94-lap total was still the lowest of any driver.
The midfield: closer than ever
Behind the leading quartet, the midfield looks brutally tight. Haas, Alpine, Audi, Racing Bulls and Williams all showed flashes of competitiveness, with no team suffering catastrophic reliability failures.
Small gains in energy efficiency or aero balance could swing positions dramatically from race to race, making the midfield battle one of the most intriguing storylines heading into the season.
Testing politics
As always, appearances deceived. Ferrari hinted Mercedes were hiding pace to avoid late regulatory clarifications. Red Bull countered by praising Mercedes’ “strong fundamentals”. McLaren suggested the new rules inherently favour works teams, stirring uncomfortable conversations about customer disadvantages.
Rumours of potential energy-deployment loopholes circulated freely, and don’t be surprised if technical directives appear before the season opener.
What happens next?
One final public pre-season test remains before the lights go out for the season-opening Australian Grand Prix. That test takes place next week in Bahrain, where teams will finally shift focus from data gathering to outright performance.
Fans can follow all the on-track action live via streaming platforms such as formula1streams.net, with full days of running expected as teams push their 2026 cars closer to the limit.
