McLaren's Lando Norris says his team is slower than Ferrari and Red Bull after initial 2026 pre-season running in Bahrain. While citing a productive test and strong reliability, the reigning champion pointed to a clear pace deficit and specifically praised the efficiency of Red Bull's new Ford-powered engine.
As F1 introduces lower-downforce cars for 2026, scrutiny falls on Oscar Piastri and whether the new driving style will expose a perceived weakness in low-grip conditions that hampered his 2025 title charge. His adaptation is a central narrative for the new era.
Netflix released the trailer for 'Formula 1: Drive to Survive' Season 8, focusing on the 2024 season's biggest stories including Lewis Hamilton's historic switch to Ferrari. The docuseries, credited with massively expanding F1's fanbase, returns on February 14, 2025.
Formula E races on a heavily modified, shorter version of Jeddah's F1 circuit this weekend, adding chicanes for overtaking. Drivers familiar with both layouts acknowledge the necessary trade-off, missing the high-speed sections but accepting the version tailored for FE's energy-saving racing.
Lando Norris has dismissed Max Verstappen's criticism of F1's 2026 cars, calling the new energy-management challenge fun and stating well-paid drivers have no grounds for complaint, highlighting a division in driver opinion on the sport's technical future.
Max Verstappen has launched a fierce critique of F1's 2026 car regulations, calling them 'anti-racing' and so unpleasant that he stopped simulator testing last year. The reigning champion warned the inefficient, tactical driving style harms enjoyment and could impact his long-term future in the sport.
F1 teams completed another crucial day of pre-season testing in Bahrain, with a focus on long-run data, reliability, and setup fine-tuning. The session provided visual insights into each team's preparation level just days before the competitive season begins at the same circuit.
Max Verstappen says F1's 2026 cars feel like "Formula E on steroids" and are less fun to drive due to heavy focus on energy management, but remains motivated by Red Bull's new in-house engine project as testing continues.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc set the fastest lap (1:34.273) in Bahrain’s second pre‑season test, beating Lando Norris by 0.5 seconds. Mercedes logged few laps, while Haas rookie Oliver Bearman impressed in third.
Mercedes is accused of exploiting a wording loophole in the 2026 engine regulations to gain a performance advantage via compression ratios. As rivals push for a rule change, Toto Wolff's praise of Red Bull's engine is seen as a political tactic to manage the controversy ahead of a pivotal vote.
Helmut Marko warns that Red Bull must successfully develop a competitive power unit for the 2026 regulations to satisfy Max Verstappen, who has repeatedly stated his future in F1 depends on whether the new cars are "fun" to drive.
Charles Leclerc led a Ferrari one-two on the timesheets on the second day of 2026 F1 testing in Bahrain, with his morning lap unbeaten. Reigning champion Lando Norris was second for McLaren, while Haas rookie Oliver Bearman impressed with third in a session interrupted by five red flags.
