Formula 1

George Russell has ended the first day of the second 2026 pre-season test in Bahrain on top, the Mercedes driver setting the pace ahead of McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc.

Watch all the best action from day one of week 2 at the Bahrain International Circuit.

George Russell and Mercedes topped the timesheets as the second and final pre-season test of 2026 kicked off in Bahrain – leading the way from McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.

F1.com's Lawrence Barretto looks back on the opening day of the second official 2026 pre-season test in Bahrain.

Formula 1's new era was always going to bring questions, but its first week of serious running has raised more than most. With one more preseason test in Bahrain still to come, ESPN makes sense of a fascinating three days in Sakhir.

Charles Leclerc is among a growing number of Formula 1 drivers who have raised concerns about a lack of overtaking under the sport's new regulations.

None of the top F1 teams believe McLaren is at the head of the 2026 pack - so is it really only fourth best?

Aston Martin is restructuring the engineering teams around Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll, The Race has learned

F1's new 2026 cars have certainly divided opinion across their early running and some elements to them are just plain weird

Your guide to every team's running plans and when each driver will be on track at the final F1 2026 pre-season test in Bahrain

Red Bull's Chief Designer Craig Skinner has left the Formula 1 team with immediate effect, the six-time World Champions have confirmed.

Cadillac have shared an update on when they expect to debut their own power unit in F1, with the new team still focused on their original target of 2029 whilst acknowledging that they will “speed up” the process if there are ways to do so.

Take a look at all the new designs, colours and concepts from the 2026 Formula 1 cars.

Ferrari Team Principal Fred Vasseur is “convinced” that most teams will “bring huge upgrades” to the second pre-season test in Bahrain, with the Frenchman also setting out his expectations for how the development race could initially unfold.

Red Bull have estimated that they are sitting behind Mercedes, McLaren and Ferrari in terms of outright performance after the opening pre-season test in Bahrain, despite the “remarkable job” done by the team’s new power unit division.

Formula 1 has confirmed an extension of its race contract with the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.