Racing Bulls completed their winter testing program by joining the “1,000-lap club,” a select group of teams that surpassed the 1,000-lap milestone during the three weeks of testing between Barcelona and Sakhir. This exclusive group includes top-tier teams such as Mercedes, Ferrari, and McLaren, as well as midfield contenders like Haas, Alpine, and Racing Bulls itself. With a total of 1,051 laps completed, Racing Bulls outperformed Red Bull, which reached 975 laps, in this statistic. The result is particularly significant considering the initial concerns surrounding the debut of their DM01 power unit, the first created entirely by Red Bull Powertrains in partnership with Ford. With this solid testing foundation, the Faenza-based team can approach the first two races of the 2026 season—the Australian Grand Prix and the Chinese Grand Prix—with cautious optimism.
Lindblad starts promisingly
Rookie Arvid Lindblad made an impressive first impression in Formula 1. The 18-year-old driver completed the most laps in the second week of testing in Bahrain, totaling 240 circuits. He also set a best time of 1:34.149, beating his teammate by approximately four-tenths of a second, although it should be noted that the British driver had more track time on the final day while teams focused on extracting outright performance.
Lindblad gained invaluable experience for a rookie, working on both qualifying simulations and race simulations. On Friday, behind the wheel of the VCARB03, the Anglo-Swedish driver showed strong pace, although it was slightly slower than direct rivals such as Gabriel Bortoleto from Audi and Esteban Ocon from Haas. Lindblad commented: “It was a really productive week, so I feel quite tired now. The sessions went very well, and we maintained good stability throughout. We completed the program without any major issues, including qualifying and race simulations. There will be many aspects to analyze in the coming days, but overall the balance is very positive.”
Veteran Liam Lawson, benefiting from his greater experience in Formula 1 over previous seasons, also expressed satisfaction with Racing Bulls’ winter testing. Lawson said: “It was a really encouraging week, and I learned something new about the car every day. This season’s tests have proven more important than any other year, so it’s fantastic to see the progress we’ve made in such a short time. It has been a very challenging week, but reliability has been excellent, so we feel ready as a team to bring our package to Melbourne.”
Permane: new components coming in Australia
Racing Bulls team principal Alain Permane also provided a positive assessment of the winter testing program, emphasizing its usefulness. He explained: “We had very positive days in Bahrain. The first week was productive, and the second was even better. We learned a lot about the car and the power unit, both of which proved reliable. We had a few minor issues, but nothing that will affect us once we arrive in Melbourne.”
Permane then detailed how the collected data will inform the development of the VCARB03: “Liam and Arvid are quickly finding more performance and gaining confidence with the car. In the last two days, we conducted some qualifying tests using less fuel to see how the car behaves at the limit, as well as two race simulations, learning a lot about the car’s requirements on this specific track. We will bring these lessons with us to Melbourne and Shanghai. The car will continue to evolve rapidly, and the first new components will arrive in Australia. What we’re seeing here will change quickly, and we will continue to improve race performance from event to event. We have a clear idea of what to expect before the first race and feel as prepared as possible for Melbourne.”
Looking ahead to the season, Permane also highlighted the support of Yuki Tsunoda. The Japanese driver will work on the simulator for the Faenza-based team and will also participate in some first free practice sessions on Fridays.
The reliability shown by the new Red Bull-Ford partnership is perhaps the biggest sigh of relief for the Faenza team as they prepare for the long journey to Melbourne. By clearing the 1000-lap hurdle, Racing Bulls have given Arvid Lindblad the best possible start to his F1 career, allowing him to focus on his own progression rather than technical failures. With Alain Permane already promising a quick development curve and the first upgrades scheduled for Australia, the team seems determined to shed its “junior” label and establish itself as a consistent points-scorer in this new era.
Leave a Reply