Verstappen Tops Opening 2026 Test Session as Audi Debuts Bold Design

Max Verstappen and Red Bull picked up where they left off, setting the fastest time in the first official pre-season test session of the 2026 Formula 1 season in Bahrain. The session offered the first glimpse of the new grid order, with Audi turning heads with a radical car design and new teams Cadillac and Racing Bulls making their on-track debuts.

Why it matters:

The opening test of a major regulation change year is a critical first indicator of the competitive landscape. While lap times are not fully representative due to varying fuel loads and run plans, the session provides vital data on reliability, new car concepts, and the initial pecking order. With new power unit and chassis rules for 2026, this test is the first real-world check on years of development.

The Details:

• Verstappen Leads the Way: The reigning world champion set a benchmark time of 1:35.433, just 0.169 seconds clear of McLaren's Oscar Piastri, suggesting an early, tight battle at the front could be in store.
• Mercedes and Ferrari in the Hunt: George Russell was third for Mercedes, with Lewis Hamilton fourth in his first official session for Ferrari, the pair separated by just over three-tenths of a second.
• Audi's Head-Turning Debut: The German manufacturer arrived with a significantly updated "B-spec" car featuring a unique, aggressive sidepod design, signaling a bold aerodynamic philosophy. Rookie Gabriel Bortoleto placed eighth for the team.
• New Teams Find Their Feet: The rebranded Racing Bulls team (formerly VCARB/AlphaTauri) and the all-new Cadillac F1 Team completed their first official track sessions. Arvid Lindblad impressed for Racing Bulls in P6, while Valtteri Bottas was ninth for Cadillac.
• Reliability Check: The session was largely clean, with only one red flag caused by Alpine's Franco Colapinto stopping on track. Carlos Sainz and Williams topped the lap count with 77, a positive sign for the Grove-based team's new package.

Between the Lines:

The timesheet tells only part of the story. Teams run vastly different programs, with some focusing on long-run data collection and others on single-lap performance. However, the closeness of the top four—covered by just one second—hints at a potentially compressed field under the new regulations. Audi's radical sidepods immediately became the talk of the paddock, indicating a divergent design path that will be scrutinized in the coming days.

What's Next:

Testing continues with the afternoon session, where teams will switch drivers and run programs. The true test will be long-run pace and consistency, which will offer clearer clues about each car's potential. All eyes will remain on the integration of new teams and whether any early technical trends, like Audi's design, prove to be a breakthrough or a blind alley.