Verstappen Tops 2026 Bahrain Test Day 1 Morning

Formula 1, Sportrik Media - Max Verstappen set the pace in the morning session of Day 1 at the 2026 Formula 1 pre-season test in Bahrain, held at the Bahrain International Circuit, marking the official start of competitive preparations for the new season.

The Red Bull Racing driver recorded a benchmark lap of 1m 35.433s during the opening four-hour session, finishing just under two-tenths of a second clear of McLaren’s Oscar Piastri.

It was a largely smooth start to testing under the new 2026 regulations, with teams focusing on correlation runs, system checks, and initial performance mapping. The only significant interruption came when Franco Colapinto stopped between Turns 7 and 8, triggering a brief red flag period.

All 11 teams successfully took to the track during the session, ensuring full representation on the timing screens. For Williams, the morning marked its first official running ahead of the 2026 campaign, following earlier delays in its programme.

Verstappen’s early pace highlights Red Bull’s readiness entering the new regulatory cycle, although lap times in pre-season testing remain heavily influenced by differing fuel loads, power unit modes, and programme objectives.

The Bahrain test is the first of two three-day sessions scheduled before the season opener, providing teams with crucial mileage to refine aerodynamics, optimise energy deployment strategies, and validate reliability under race-representative conditions.

While Verstappen leads the initial timesheets, the competitive picture will only begin to clarify once teams complete their long-run simulations and fully explore the performance envelope of the new generation power units. For now, the opening morning has delivered a stable and technically clean start to the 2026 Formula 1 pre-season.