Audi F1 boss Jonathan Wheatley says he has "absolute faith" in the FIA's process to examine the Mercedes power unit, stressing the importance of a level playing field as the sport heads into a new regulatory era in 2026.
Alex Albon cites GPS data confirming Red Bull's notable straight-line speed advantage in Bahrain testing, highlighting their new power unit's strong drivability and deployment. The observation is backed by rival team analysis, suggesting Red Bull may have carried a performance edge into the new season.
George Russell set the fastest overall time of pre-season testing for Mercedes in the final morning session in Bahrain, finishing ahead of teammate Lewis Hamilton. The session highlighted Mercedes' promising pace on both single laps and long runs as teams completed their final preparations before the season opener.
Lando Norris has dismissed Max Verstappen's fierce criticism of F1's 2026 cars, calling them a "fun" challenge and suggesting Verstappen could retire if he's unhappy. Norris's pragmatic view contrasts sharply with Verstappen's purist lament, highlighting a split in driver philosophy toward the sport's evolving technical future.
Max Verstappen has launched a scathing critique of F1's 2026 cars, calling them "anti-racing" and comparing the driving experience to "Formula E on steroids." While rivals like Lando Norris are more positive, Verstappen's comments highlight a major early divide over the new energy-management-heavy regulations, though significant performance evolution is expected before the rules debut.
Max Verstappen has threatened his F1 future after testing 2026 cars, blasting the new energy management rules as "not F1-worthy" and akin to Formula E. The champion stated the need to drive slower in corners to harvest energy is "not fun" and could shorten his career.
McLaren's Lando Norris downplays the team's strong pre-season testing numbers, claiming they are behind both Red Bull and Ferrari. He specifically pointed to Red Bull's efficient energy deployment as a key advantage, while the paddock speculates on Mercedes' true form ahead of the new season.
Lewis Hamilton explains that F1's 2026 power units, with a 50-50 combustion-electric split, require drivers to adopt extensive 'lift-and-coast' and aggressive downshifting to manage battery energy, a change Max Verstappen has criticized as 'anti-racing.'
Max Verstappen has labeled Toto Wolff's praise of Red Bull's new car as 'diversion tactics' amid a strong start for the team's first in-house engine. The exchange underscores the pre-season mind games as F1 enters its new era, with Red Bull's project showing unexpected early reliability while technical controversies swirl around rivals.
Max Verstappen returns to Red Bull and Lewis Hamilton takes over at Ferrari for the last day of pre-season testing in Bahrain, with teams finalizing their driver rotations to complete critical running before the season begins.
Lewis Hamilton has publicly urged the FIA to investigate allegations that Mercedes holds an unfair power unit advantage related to compression ratio, emphasizing the need for a 'level playing field' as the 2026 F1 season approaches.
Max Verstappen has harshly criticized F1's 2026 regulations, calling the required energy management "anti-racing" and comparing the feel to "Formula E on steroids." His stark critique, delivered during pre-season testing, highlights a driver divide, as Lando Norris offered a more positive view of the new technical challenge.
