Sports · 11 February 2026
Lando Norris fastest on opening day of Bahrain testing
Steffen Prößdorf via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Lando Norris stole the spotlight in Bahrain, leading McLaren to the top on the first day of Formula One’s 2026 pre-season test. The Briton narrowly outpaced Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc as teams began evaluating cars built to new technical rules. Verstappen accumulated the highest mileage with more than 130 laps completed. Attention also fell on Lewis Hamilton’s outing in Ferrari colours. A short interruption followed Nico Hülkenberg’s Audi stopping on track, though overall testing progressed smoothly.
Reported by formula1.com · How we write briefs