Haas and Red Bull first to confirm driver plans for crucial Bahrain pre-season test

Haas and Red Bull have become the first Formula 1 teams to publicly confirm their driver run plans for the upcoming three-day pre-season test in Bahrain, a critical final check before the 2026 cars hit the track for the opening race. The test, running from February 11-13, will see teams split running between their race drivers and, in some cases, reserve drivers as they finalize preparations under the sport's new technical regulations.

Why it matters:

Pre-season testing is the only opportunity for teams to run their new cars in a representative setting before the competitive season begins. With radical new regulations for 2026, every lap of data is invaluable for understanding car behavior, reliability, and performance. The driver schedule reveals which teams are prioritizing mileage for their race lineup versus giving valuable track time to developing young talent.

The details:

• Haas F1 Team will field its full race lineup. Esteban Ocon will drive on Wednesday, with Oliver Bearman taking over on Thursday. The final day on Friday will be split between the two drivers.
• Red Bull Racing has a slightly different approach. Reigning world champion Max Verstappen will drive on Wednesday and share the car on Friday. The team has allocated the entire Thursday to its junior driver, Isack Hadjar, giving the Frenchman a significant opportunity in the new car.
• The remaining nine teams—including Mercedes, Ferrari, and McLaren—have yet to announce their testing schedules, which are still listed as "TBA" (To Be Announced).
• Testing follows a similar format to the Barcelona shakedown, with each day split into morning and afternoon sessions. Teams are only permitted to run one car, forcing them to carefully manage track time between drivers.

The big picture:

This test follows a closed-door, five-day shakedown in Barcelona last month, which was focused on reliability and data gathering rather than outright performance. Most teams completed solid running, but Williams was notably absent due to delays in preparing its new car, and McLaren joined the test later in the week. The atmosphere was reported as more subdued than usual, with teams working quietly to understand the complexities of the new rules. The Bahrain test will be a more public and comprehensive final rehearsal, offering the first real glimpse of the competitive order for the 2026 season.