F1 test | Mercedes impresses on Day 1 in Bahrain, numbers reveal early dominance. Mercedes dominates Day 1 of F1 Bahrain testing.

The curtain falls on the first day of pre-season F1 testing in Bahrain, and a new statistic emerges in favor of Mercedes.

The first day of pre-season F1 testing in Bahrain concluded with a Mercedes team that is clearly taking things seriously. Formula 1 is officially back on track after the closed-door session in Barcelona, which had given only a small preview of what to expect this season.

2026 is shaping up to be intense in many ways. Leaving aside the controversies surrounding the so-called “Mercedes engine case,” which continues to fuel debate in the paddock—with James Vowles called upon to defend the manufacturer against accusations of irregularities—the action on track is proving to be a real battle.

Mercedes and its power unit confirm strength and reliability

Pre-season tests are often considered inconclusive, or at least that’s the narrative in the paddock. Yet they are enough to provide an early indication of the F1 season ahead. And the doubts appear few, at least based on the first impressions from Bahrain.

Williams, after missing the Barcelona tests, finally took to the track, completing the Mercedes-powered lineup alongside Mercedes, McLaren, and Alpine. The four teams completed a combined total of 420 laps.

Trailing behind are the Ferrari-powered cars (Ferrari, Haas, Cadillac) with 353 total laps. Red Bull Ford (Red Bull, Racing Bulls) takes third place today with 211 laps. Audi is fourth, completing 122 laps (with some technical issues), and Honda is last with only 36 laps.

Williams recovers lost ground in Bahrain

Williams immediately showed competitive pace with Sainz and Albon on track, without reporting any issues, and the results are evident. The Vowles-led team completed the highest number of laps in the session, 145 in total, with 77 laps driven by the Spanish driver. Red Bull follows with 136 laps, and Ferrari with 131 (80 by Charles Leclerc, who logged the most laps for his team).

Off the podium, Audi completed 122 laps; Haas 115; reigning world champions McLaren 112 (with Lando Norris the fastest of all); and Cadillac wrapped up the day with 107 laps. One of the most anticipated teams, Mercedes, completed 86 laps; Alpine reached 77; Racing Bulls 75; and finally Aston Martin 36 laps, in what was not a particularly positive day for the green team.