Red Bull Motorsports
F1
F1: Winter testing wraps ahead of 2026 season kick-off
With the Formula One season just around the corner, the second winter test in Bahrain was the last opportunity to work on the new cars and power units before the first race in Melbourne.
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Following three days of action at the second 2026 pre-season test in Bahrain, winter preparations for the new Formula One season have now concluded, with all eyes now turning to the first race of the season in Melbourne.
For Oracle Red Bull Racing, it was another opportunity to work with the RB22 car and the all-new Red Bull Ford Powertrains. During the three days in Bahrain, the team completed 329 laps (1,780 kilometres), while more than 5,000 kilometres of driving were clocked up during the entire winter preparation period – which included two sessions in Bahrain and the shakedown in Barcelona.
I think we prepared as well as we could for the tests in Bahrain and the team did a great job there.
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A successful session for Max Verstappen
After racking up a total of 204 laps during the final test session – one of the highest tallies in the entire field – Max Verstappen ultimately posted the fifth fastest time of 1m 33.109s. The Dutchman's programme mainly consisted of race simulations and work on car settings.
"It was a successful week. During my runs we actually completed the whole programme, so we have a lot of data to analyse. I think we prepared as well as we could for the tests in Bahrain and the team did a great job there. Obviously we still have a lot of work to do to improve our pace and that's what we'll be working on," said four-time world champion Max Verstappen.
Max Verstappen makes a pit stop during Bahrain testing
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Verstappen prepares in the garage
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The Dutchman on track during day two of testing
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Verstappen clocked up the fifth fastest time in the final session
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Isack Hadjar excited for Melbourne
Isack Hadjar, who is preparing for his first season as an Oracle Red Bull Racing driver, completed a total of 125 laps during the second round of testing, posting a time of 1m 34.511s on his best lap. The Frenchman focused primarily on testing setup changes and analysing the car's behaviour during long runs with higher fuel loads.
"We made the most of the last day of testing. We tested a lot of setup changes and they all made sense, so I feel good about the direction we went in. The pace on the long runs and with plenty of fuel was also good. I'm very happy with what we learned this week and I'm looking forward to the start of the season in Melbourne," said Hadjar.
Isack Hadjar during the second F1 winter test in Bahrain 2026
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Hadjar in testing ahead of his first season as a Red Bull driver
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Hadjar prepares ahead of testing in Bahrain
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Hadjar puts his RB22 to the test in Bahrain
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What did the Team Principal learn?
Team Principal Laurent Mekies pointed out that this year's tests were particularly interesting due to the new generation of cars and power units.
"The three series of runs in Barcelona and Bahrain were fascinating for many reasons - from power unit technology, fuel and aerodynamics to tyre changes. We are proud of what has been achieved with the first Red Bull Ford Powertrains. After two weeks of testing in Bahrain we have a solid run behind us, which is quite an achievement for a team working on a new engine," said Mekies.
"In terms of the real hierarchy in the grid, we will only see the first clues in qualifying in Melbourne. Now the racing begins and we know that there is still a lot of work ahead of us to reach the level we are aiming for," Mekies added.
Laurent Mekies (R) watches from the pit wall during Bahrain testing
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Visa Cash App Racing Bulls clock up 407 laps
The Visa Cash App Racing Bulls team finished the second round of testing with 407 laps - the second best in the entire field. Arvid Lindblad, who showed good pace on individual runs, was the busiest driver of the test, clocking up 240 laps, while Liam Lawson finished up with 167 laps.
The team worked on the car's stability when braking for slow corners and on energy management from the new power unit. Despite some initial difficulties, they gradually improved the car's behaviour and the data collected is expected to help further refine the package ahead of the first race of the season in Australia.
Liam Lawson in the pit lane at Bahrain testing
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Liam Lawson puts his car through its paces on the Bahrain track
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Arvid Lindblad prepares ahead of testing in Bahrain
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Liam Lawson clocked up 167 laps at the second session in Bahrain
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