Max Verstappen wasted no time reminding the Formula 1 field exactly who still casts the longest shadow in the pit lane.
As the lights flickered green on the first official pre-season test session of the 2026 campaign in Bahrain, the Red Bull star calmly sat at the top of the timesheets mid-day.
Behind the wheel of Red Bull’s all-new RB22 powered by its much-anticipated Ford-backed engine, the four-time world champion delivered a clinical 1m35.433s lap that proved untouchable by the time the chequered flag waved at 2pm local time for a well-deserved lunch break.
A Calm Morning Turns Competitive
The session began with a measured rhythm rather than fireworks. Teams eased their fresh-built cars onto the Bahrain asphalt, data collection taking priority over glory runs.
For the opening hour, it was Mercedes’ George Russell who set the early pace with a modest benchmark, hinting that the Silver Arrows had arrived prepared.
But testing sessions are rarely linear. As the sun climbed and grip improved, lap times began to tumble – and Red Bull’s true hand slowly revealed itself.
Verstappen’s surge to the top in the second hour was decisive. Once his name appeared in P1, it stubbornly refused to move.
Red Flag Blip, Then Full Throttle
The only real interruption to the morning’s momentum came courtesy of Alpine’s Franco Colapinto, whose car ground to an unscheduled halt and triggered a brief red flag.
Marshals swiftly recovered the stranded machine, and within minutes the session roared back to life.
If the stoppage unsettled anyone, it certainly wasn’t Verstappen. He resumed as if nothing had happened, continuing to rack up laps with metronomic precision.
By session’s end, the Dutchman had logged 65 tours of the circuit — a blend of speed and endurance that underscored Red Bull’s early confidence. He is scheduled to remain in the cockpit for the afternoon running, further signaling the team’s intent to maximize early mileage.
Chasers Line Up Behind
Oscar Piastri emerged as Verstappen’s closest challenger in the McLaren, trimming his time late in the session but still falling just short of the Red Bull benchmark. Russell, once the early leader, slipped to third as the field tightened behind the reigning champion.
Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton slotted into fourth, while Haas driver Esteban Ocon rounded out the top five in a quietly efficient outing.
Further down the order, Racing Bulls rookie Arvid Lindblad impressed by edging out Williams’ Carlos Sainz — although Sainz claimed the unofficial crown for busiest driver, completing a marathon 77 laps.
Elsewhere, Audi drew attention with a striking new sidepod concept making its first true public appearance, while Cadillac turned heads with its freshly unveiled livery after a filming run earlier in the week.
Gabriel Bortoleto and Valtteri Bottas kept their respective programs ticking over, as Lance Stroll and the recovering Colapinto completed the morning’s roster of runners.
Day one, session one – and already the competitive lines are forming. Testing may be about data, reliability, and long runs, but Verstappen’s early dominance served as a sharp reminder: even in February, the champion rarely clocks in quietly.
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