F1 testing 2026 live: Lewis Hamilton encounters issue with Lando Norris fastest in Bahrain
Follow live F1 coverage from the Bahrain International Circuit at the final test before the 2026 season takes place
The 2026 Formula 1 season is a fortnight away from starting in Australia and the teams and drivers will be making their final checks at this week’s final pre-season test in Bahrain.
With new engine and chassis regulations this season, the grid has already undertaken eight days of testing - five in a private format in Barcelona and three last week in Bahrain. This final three-day event is the final action before the season-opening Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne on 6-8 March.
Mercedes came out the strongest from Barcelona but Red Bull, in partnership with new engine partner Ford, were impressive last week in Sakhir, despite Max Verstappen describing this new generation of car as “anti-racing” and “like Formula E on steroids.” Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton was also among the drivers unimpressed by aspects of the new machinery.
Further discussions will be taking place between all 11 teams and the FIA this week over a myriad of issues, including the ongoing engine compression row and the safety of race starts, as the new campaign draws ever closer.
Follow live updates from F1 pre-season testing with The Independent
Carlos Sainz on new 2026 rules:
"I think in general my message to FOM [Formula One Management] and FIA is I think at the start of the year we need to stay a bit open-minded, in case the regulations that we've come up with are maybe a bit exaggerated on the amount of harvesting or deployment that we have to do through a lap.
“I would only ask to stay open in case we need to fine tune or adjust to make the category and make the show better. I think we should start stay flexible, rather than committed to a certain level of energy management."
Fernando Alonso locks up
Not the first to lock up heading into the tight turn 10 left-hander and Alonso won’t be the last.
Feels like a crucial afternoon for Aston Martin and racking up some mileage, given their struggles so far over the testing period...
Who's driving this afternoon?
McLaren - Oscar Piastri
Mercedes - Kimi Antonelli
Red Bull - Max Verstappen
Ferrari - Lewis Hamilton
Williams - Alex Albon
Racing Bulls - Liam Lawson
Aston Martin - Fernando Alonso
Haas - Esteban Ocon
Audi - Nico Hulkenberg
Alpine - Franco Colapinto
Cadillac - Sergio Perez
Afternoon session underway
The green light is on at the end of the pit-lane and the second four-hour session of the day is underway!
NEWS: F1 trials unique ‘blue warning’ race start at Bahrain pre-season testing
Formula 1 has trialled a new race start procedure – involving flashing blue grid panels – at pre-season testing in Bahrain.
Following discussions in a meeting of the F1 Commission on Wednesday, 10 cars trialled a fresh procedure on Wednesday, with a “five-second, blue pre-start warning” before the usual five red lights illuminate and vanish.
The drivers completed two formation laps before setting up on the grid and undertaking the new protocol. With noisy revving engines, all 10 cars moved off the line, with some experiencing more wheelspin than others. Further trials will take place on Thursday and Friday.
F1 trials unique ‘blue warning’ race start at Bahrain pre-season testing
NEWS - Ferrari F1 boss gives snappy response over Lewis Hamilton situation: ‘Stop this story!’
Fred Vasseur has defended Ferrari’s plan of action after Lewis Hamilton described his F1 race engineer situation as potentially “detrimental” to the start of his season.
After a tumultuous, podium-less debut season with the Scuderia, Hamilton has opted to ditch race engineer Riccardo Adami after a fraught relationship, with disagreements regularly playing out over team radio last year.
Hamilton will work with Carlo Santi, Kimi Raikkonen’s race engineer in 2018, on an interim basis for the first few races of the new season. It is widely expected that Cedric Michel-Grosjean, formerly Oscar Piastri’s performance engineer at McLaren, will become Hamilton’s full-time race engineer.
However, Michel-Grosjean is taking what he describes as a “career break” after leaving McLaren at the end of last season, leaving Hamilton in a situation which he last week acknowledged was sub-optimal as he prepared for the 2026 campaign.
Full piece below:
Ferrari F1 boss gives snappy response over Hamilton situation: ‘Stop this story!’
Morning leaderboard
1. Lando Norris - 1:33:453
2. Max Verstappen +0.131
3. George Russell +0.658
4. Alex Albon +1.677
5. Gabriel Bortoleto +1.810
6. Ollie Bearman +1.826
7. Franco Colapinto +2.053
8. Liam Lawson +3.506
9. Fernando Alonso +4.019
10. Lewis Hamilton +6.217
11. Valtteri Bottas +6.740
Morning session completed
Interesting finale, but it was nonetheless Lando Norris who was quickest on the timesheet this morning.
The world champion with a 1:33:453, 0.131 secs ahead of Max Verstappen in second, with George Russell in third - six-tenths down on the McLaren.
4-11: Albon, Bortoleto, Bearman, Colapinto, Lawson, Alonso, Hamilton, Bottas
Lewis Hamilton impressive
We haven’t seen Hamilton for more than three hours but he’s come out for the practice start!
Three of the four cars get away well, but Hamilton’s Ferrari got off the line superbly, overtaking Mercedes’ George Russell ahead.
Meanwhile, Lando Norris did not move off at all...
Interesting!
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