2026 F1 pre-season testing results: Norris leads Verstappen on Day 1 in Bahrain
12 February 2026The new era of Formula 1 cars have clocked their first official laps in Sakhir, as 2026 F1 pre-season testing got underway at the Bahrain International Circuit.
On Day 1, it was reigning Drivers’ Champion Lando Norris who set the benchmark, topping the timesheets ahead of Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc.
Norris climbed aboard his McLaren for the afternoon session, taking over from team-mate Oscar Piastri, and steadily improved as temperatures cooled. His best lap of 1:34.669 proved enough to secure top spot, although, as ever in testing, headline times only tell part of the story.
2026 F1 pre-season testing results
Pos | Driver | Team | Time |
1 | Lando Norris | McLaren | 1:34.669 |
2 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | +0.129 |
3 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | +0.521 |
4 | Esteban Ocon | Haas | +0.909 |
5 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | +0.933 |
6 | George Russell | Mercedes | +1.439 |
7 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | +1.764 |
8 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | +2.096 |
9 | Nico Hulkenberg | Audi | +2.192 |
10 | Alexander Albon | Williams | +2.768 |
11 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | +2.960 |
12 | Arvid Lindblad | Racing Bulls | +3.276 |
13 | Carlos Sainz | Williams | +3.552 |
14 | Sergio Perez | Cadillac | +4.159 |
15 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Audi | +4.202 |
16 | Valtteri Bottas | Cadillac | +4.481 |
17 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | +5.214 |
18 | Franco Colapinto | Alpine | +5.661 |
19 | Isack Hadjar | Red Bull | - |
20 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | - |
21 | Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls | - |
22 | Oliver Bearman | Haas | - |
The big four remain the big four, with some exceptions
Max Verstappen led the way in the morning session for Red Bull, ending the day just over a tenth shy of Norris. Verstappen topped the lap count after completing 136 tours of the circuit, one of four drivers to spend the entire day on track.
Meanwhile, Ferrari’s Leclerc placed third overall, around half a second adrift. Seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton had kicked off Ferrari’s day in the morning, setting a time good enough for seventh overall, before handing the SF-26 over to his team-mate later on.
Behind the leading trio, Esteban Ocon impressed for Haas with the fourth fastest time, while Piastri ended his half-day in fifth. George Russell was the quickest Mercedes driver in sixth, with stablemate Kimi Antonelli in 11th.
Pivotal moments for the midfield
There was a brief interruption to proceedings when Nico Hulkenberg’s Audi stopped on track approaching the final corner, triggering a short red flag. The German was soon back underway after returning to the pits, and testing resumed with minimal disruption. Hulkenberg eventually posted the ninth-fastest time.
Pierre Gasly and Alex Albon completed the top 10 for Alpine and Williams, respectively. It was a particularly important day for Williams, who made up for lost ground after missing the Barcelona shakedown due to car preparation delays.
Rookies and returnees
Further down the order, attention turned to 2026’s sole rookie, Arvid Lindblad, who logged a full day and 75 laps at the wheel for Racing Bulls.
New entrant Cadillac split its running between Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas, as the American team continued its methodical introduction to Formula 1.
