Mercedes reaffirmed belief that it is the team to beat in Formula 1 this year after Andrea Kimi Antonelli topped a Silver Arrows 1-2 on the final day of this week’s 2026 Bahrain pre-season test.

Why are all four leading F1 teams are talking up their rivals' chances for F1 2026? It's all part of the sport's early mind games

All 11 teams and 22 drivers will be on track at last in Bahrain

One F1 team has 'really impressed' members of the paddock during the first Bahrain test, according to commentator Alex Brundle.

SAKHIR, Bahrain (AP) — Max Verstappen says it is “no fun” to drive the new Formula 1 cars and sweeping changes for 2026 mean the series no longer feels like F1. Regulation changes for 2026 have made cars smaller and lighter,

Carlos Alcaraz visited Fernando Alonso, Carlos Sainz and several F1 garages in the Bahrain paddock during pre-season testing

The cars, now energy-starved, must be driven cleverly to keep recharging the battery across a lap. Tactics such as dropping down to first gear (rarely necessary in the past), running at maximum revs in a gear or avoiding full throttle at points can all help top up energy levels for later in a lap.