Two weeks of testing in Bahrain have provided the first indications of what the 2026 pecking order will look like. Broadly speaking, the traditional top teams have set the standard in this early phase.
Mercedes, Ferrari, McLaren and Red Bull all showed encouraging performance across the board. Aside from a few hiccups, the old guard have avoided the more nightmarish projections about these 2026 cars.
The Mercedes, Ferrari and even Red Bull’s engines have shown rock solid reliability – though ultimate horsepower and electrical efficiency are still to be determined.
Regardless, the usual front-runners seem to have cemented themselves as the main protagonists for 2026. Elsewhere on the grid, there are also plenty of intriguing developments unfolding.
Ferrari set fastest time, Red Bull exceed expectations
In terms of headline lap-times, the SF-26 stole the show in Bahrain. The five fastest times from pre-season where all set by Ferrari, with Charles Leclerc setting multiple fastest laps on the final day of testing.
However, these times are not the reason why so much optimism surrounds the Scuderia.
Across three weeks of running in Barcelona and Sakhir, the Ferrari engine has not seen a single reliability issue. Although some kind of failure or issue is almost inevitable at some point in 2026, Fred Vasseur’s team can be very satisfied with the durability of their power unit.
The speed traps and telemetry data suggest the Ferrari power unit is also efficient at recharging electrical energy, whilst the aerodynamics of the SF-26 appear solid.
Of course, as recently outlined on LWOS, a significant batch of upgrades are scheduled for the SF-26 in Australia. Therefore, more performance is there to be unlocked with a more aggressive package.
Red Bull, meanwhile, surprised the field with the competitiveness of their engine.
At exceptionally impressive speed, Red Bull seem to have adapted to the demands of producing their own engines. George Russell has even claimed that Red Bull has the best power unit in the field.
Although these claims could easily be exaggerated, Red Bull’s engine is clearly very capable. After setting eye-catching readings at the speed traps on day 1 of testing, the RB22 was regularly at the bottom of the speed traps in the following days.
The prevailing belief across the paddock is that Laurent Mekies’ squad turned down their power unit.
Irrespective of how much Red Bull are disguising their pace, one thing is clear – they are in the mix. They are not encountering the problems that many analysts anticipated, particularly on the powertrains side.
Mercedes, McLaren firmly in the mix
Of course, the front-runners also suspect Mercedes of doing the same. Max Verstappen has suggested that the Silver Arrows will make a huge step forward when the season begins in Melbourne.
Overall, Mercedes kept their cards close to their chest in testing – though their long run simulations and best lap-times already indicate they will be at the front.
Given the scrutiny following the Mercedes power unit throughout the winter, Toto Wolff’s team have unsurprisingly kept plenty in reserve. (cont. on next page)