Mercedes driver George Russell set the pace on the first day of the final F1 2026 pre-season test session in Bahrain.

SAKHIR, Bahrain (AP) — Mercedes driver George Russell was fastest on the first day of Formula 1's final testing event ahead of the new season, edging McLaren's Oscar Piastri and Ferrari's Charles Leclerc on Wednesday.

The Mercedes driver headed his McLaren rival by a meagre 0.058s at the end of Thursday’s running. The second day

Pierre Gasly pops back into the garage to change his front wing. Huge aero rakes attached to the back of his car. The four hour clock for the morning session has started and the drivers waste no time at all. New rookie Arvid Lindblad is the first driver out in the Racing Bulls.

Drivers adapting to the significantly different 2026 F1 regulations has been a major talking point during pre-season

Oscar Piastri has called on the FIA to reform some of the 2026 F1 rules, arguing that putting 22 of the new cars on track is a “recipe for disaster.” After Bahrain Test 1, several drivers have raised both performance and safety concerns for the 2026 regulations,

Oscar Piastri has warned that his rivals could potentially lose six or seven places at the start of races if procedures remain the same under new regulations. As Formula 1 testing is happening in

Australian Formula 1 star Oscar Piastri has told 7NEWS a Christmas break down under has helped him refocus after missing out on last year’s championship. Channel 7’s Matt White caught up with the McLaren driver exclusively in the Middle East, where he’s testing cars ahead of next month’s Melbourne Grand Prix.

Oscar Piastri will see a difference in the dynamic of his management setup this year, as former Formula 1 driver

Former F1 driver David Coulthard expects Oscar Piastri to make a step forward in terms of consistency compared to last season. The Australian failed to fully capitalise on the sizeable advantage he built in the first half of last season,

F1 testing 2026 live: Antonelli pips Piastri and Verstappen to fastest lap in Bahrain - Follow live F1 coverage from the Bahrain International Circuit at the final test before the 2026 season takes pl