The key questions heading into F1 2026’s final pre-season test
Considering some of the biggest questions heading into F1's second week of Bahrain testing.
The second and final 2026 Formula 1 pre-season test takes place this week in Bahrain, with many questions left unanswered.
After the opening three days of running at the Bahrain International Circuit, several key talking points emerged, ranging from the pecking order to enjoyment - or lack of, in some cases - of the new cars, to safety concerns.
F1 teams only have three more days of pre-season testing to iron out any issues with their cars and continue to get to grips with the biggest regulation change in history before the action starts for real with the season-opening Australian Grand Prix on 8 March.
Here are some of the biggest questions on everybody’s lips as F1 pre-season testing motors towards its conclusion…
Who’s really fastest?
When it comes to trying to decipher the competitive order for F1 2026, it really is anyone’s guess at this early stage.
The picture has been made more confusing than normal because the teams are playing a game of pass the parcel when it comes to who they think is leading the way.
Headline lap times from the first three days in Sakhir would have you believe that Mercedes, many people’s pre-season favourite for 2026, is the team to beat.
But lap times from F1 pre-season testing are notoriously misleading and should be taken with a pinch of salt.
Mercedes made a point of insisting that Red Bull, and its first-ever in-house power unit, is the “benchmark” going into the new campaign.
Red Bull refutes this claim. It believes it is fourth behind Ferrari, Mercedes and McLaren. Ferrari, meanwhile, thinks Red Bull and Mercedes are ahead.
Surprisingly, nobody has placed last year's world champion McLaren at the top of the pile. McLaren thinks it is lagging behind Ferrari and Mercedes, and potentially even fourth-fastest behind Red Bull.
With the mind games in full flow, it is increasingly hard to paint a true picture of where each team stands in terms of pure performance.
Race runs are perhaps the best parameter to use, however they still have deceptive traps.
There are several variables to take into account, such as the fact they are completed in different conditions at different times of day, and factors such as fuel level and engine modes are not known.
For what it's worth, Ferrari emerged as the quickest team on race simulations during the first test. Can the Scuderia keep backing up its impressive early reliability with pace?
A clearer picture might emerge during the second test, but the story could be very different when the teams rock up to Melbourne, a very different track to Bahrain. Some will also bring upgraded cars.
How bad are Aston Martin’s woes?
Often in pre-season testing, it is easier to determine which teams are in trouble.
Aston Martin has had a bad start to the year. Already months behind its rivals in terms of car development, the team admitted it would be starting 2026 on the back foot.
Things have gotten even worse since testing began. Aston Martin has completed the fewest laps across the Barcelona shakedown and opening week in Bahrain than any other F1 team. That is despite Williams missing the entirety of the Barcelona test due to car build delays.
Aston Martin has been upfront and transparent about its struggles, with the team admitting it is “clearly behind” the leaders, while Lance Stroll grimly suggested the AMR26 is at least four seconds off the pace.
As it stands, Aston Martin looks to be at the back of the grid with F1 newbies Cadillac. Given all the hype and attention on Aston Martin with design legend Adrian Newey leading the team and Honda as its works engine partner, there is no sugar coating how disappointing a result this would be.
The Silverstone-based squad has the most work to do in the second Bahrain test, but the likes of Alpine and Cadillac will also want to get on top of some reliability issues that cost them track time.
Can F1 resolve its political battlegrounds?
F1 has found itself in the middle of a political battle amid an engine row.
The power unit dispute centres on compression ratio limits and suspicions that Mercedes has found a way to deliver a higher limit than what was imposed by the regulations for 2026.
Rivals suspect Mercedes of potentially gaining a crucial performance advantage as a result of the supposed engine trick which has been subject to intense debate during several discussions held between the FIA and F1’s five power unit manufacturers - Mercedes, Ferrari, Red Bull Powertrains, Honda and Audi.
F1 politics are already threatening to undo Mercedes’ advantage and a rule change could come into force ahead of the season-opener in Australia. The controversy has led to accusations that Mercedes is playing a game of smoke and mirrors to hide any possible dominance it may have by sandbagging.
There is also a political power play regarding safety concerns relating to start procedures.
Starts became a big talking point during the first Bahrain test as drivers and teams highlighted concerns that F1’s new complex engines could pose a safety risk when the lights go out.
Following the removal of the MGU-H, the new engines do not feature an electrical assist to pre-spin the turbo. This has seen drivers revving their engines much higher and for much longer to overcome turbo lag once the clutch has been engaged.
There are fears the increased spooling could cause chaotic and potentially dangerous scenarios during race starts.
McLaren has been particularly vocal about a rule change on safety grounds, but a previous attempt was blocked by Ferrari.
Ferrari is the only team seemingly not impacted by the issue, having developed its power unit to combat its own initial safety fears. After those concerns fell on deaf ears and Ferrari engineered a work around, it is not in favour of helping out its rivals.
Both of these topics are likely to rumble on throughout the final week of testing and beyond.
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