Norris heads Verstappen and Leclerc on first test day in Bahrain

Lando Norris led the charge on the first day of 2026 pre-season testing in Bahrain, clocking the fastest lap in his McLaren. He edged out reigning champion Max Verstappen of Red Bull, who had topped the morning session, and Ferrari's Charles Leclerc. Drivers grappled with all-new 2026 cars, featuring overhauled aerodynamics and revised power units with increased electrical power. Esteban Ocon, Oscar Piastri, George Russell, and Lewis Hamilton also showed strong early pace. A brief red flag was caused by Nico Hülkenberg's Audi stopping. Max Verstappen completed over 130 laps, demonstrating Red Bull's early reliability. Teams are now analyzing data ahead of Thursday's sessions, with Isack Hadjar, Fernando Alonso, Ollie Bearman, and Liam Lawson set to make their test debuts.