Formula 1: Articles & News Reports.

[Fortitude]

Everything making Mercedes' F1 2026 start so ominous.
Mercedes left Barcelona with such a positive feeling. The car reacted as it expected, the aerodynamic performance being measured on the car tallies with what is being seen in simulations, how the car handles on track is broadly the same as in the virtual world – Kimi Antonelli said it was actually “quite a bit better” than on the simulator.
Feb 4, 2026
Scott Mitchell-Malm
The Race

The initial evidence and impressions of Formula 1’s blurry emerging 2026 picture point to Mercedes making an ominous start that includes avoiding a problem that plagued it during the ground-effect era. George Russell said this correlation overall is better than anything Mercedes has had since its last title-winning season in 2021.

“The car reacted as we anticipated,” he said. “The numbers we're seeing from the aero on the car match what we see back on the simulator. How the car is handling is matching how it feels on the simulator. This is something we've not really experienced since 2021 as a team. We're sort of ticking the boxes of everything that we want to tick.”

George Russell’s implication from saying he was “pushing the boundaries of the car” from the very start is that he was doing enough early on to clock any initial vices and most importantly any big discrepancies with all of Mercedes’ preparations back at base. And that’s not happened yet, which may be enough to be confident that the particular difficulties of that phase are behind the team and it is now going to get the benefit of all of the work and the digging into the tools to actually make them better.

‘“Quite a bit better” than on the simulator’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/e...rt-so-ominous/


Brundle flags one F1 team that has hit the sweet spot after Barcelona testing
3 Feb 2026
Samson Ero
GPblog.com

Martin Brundle believes the Mercedes team have put together a strong and cohesive package with its 2026 car. The former F1 driver turned pundit expressed his belief that the Brackley-based team appears to have mastered the new regulations. However, Brundle was quick to temper expectations, stressing that the true test will come under proper race conditions.

"Clearly, they look like they've sort of aced this completely different set of regulations. But we need to see what it's like on normal track temperatures. It's going to be about power regeneration and filling their battery back up, but of course, they'll regen as well as any other Mercedes-powered car, probably a Ferrari-powered car too,” Brundle wrote in his Sky Sports column.

"You might have a car that just fires its tyres up brilliantly on a cold day and then overheats them on a hot day, which is a problem we've seen Mercedes have before,” he added. "I do think we need to stay calm on it, but you can't ignore the relentless pace and reliability that they've shown. So, clearly, they've got a really good, cohesive package. It’s too early to judge any team’s concept, but I think Mercedes have found the sweet spot in the very early stages of F1's new era.”

‘Strong and cohesive package’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/brund...celona-testing


George Russell pinned as title favourite: 'He's ready to be world champion'
George Russell is quickly emerging as many people's favourite for a maiden F1 drivers' title in 2026.
3 February 2026
Nick Golding
RacingNews365

Former F1 driver Karun Chandhok has pinned George Russell as the favourite for the 2026 drivers’ title, believing that the Briton is "ready to be world champion". Asked on talkSPORT if Russell is the title favourite, Chandhok replied: "Yes, I believe he’s the favourite, in my book anyway, for the world championship.”

"Because we’ve got this big rule change, I think having a team where the engine power unit side and the chassis side are so integrated will be key to success. Now, Ferrari and Mercedes are the two teams that have that, along with Red Bull and Audi. But Red Bull and Audi are brand-new power unit companies, so I think you have to cut them a bit of slack and give them some time.”

"But I think Mercedes and Ferrari, with that integrated structure, have got to have an advantage at the beginning of a rule cycle. So, to me, George Russell — in my opinion — was the second-best driver in F1 last year after Max Verstappen. He had an outstanding season. I think he’s ready to be a championship contender if the car’s capable of it. I think he’s ready to be world champion."

“George Russell — in my opinion — was the second-best driver in F1 last year after Max Verstappen”;

https://racingnews365.com/george-rus...2026-f1-season


Antonelli embraces Russell battle in bid to repeat Hamilton’s success
2 Feb 2026
Kada Sarkozi
GPblog.com

Kimi Antonelli hopes to fight for the world title, something he says would be especially enjoyable against his teammate George Russell. "That's absolutely the goal. It is to win and to eventually fight for the world championship. I mean, that's absolutely the goal. It is to win and to eventually fight for the world championship," the young Italian driver said while answering GPblog's question in a session with a select group of media.

Towards the end of the season, his teammate, George Russell, repeatedly declared that he was ready to finally battle for the world title. According to many, Mercedes is also the favourite heading into the 2026 campaign. The young Italian added: "George is very, very strong and definitely is ready to fight for a championship and is one of the benchmarks on the grid. So I think it's going to be quite fun, especially competing with him. And so, yes, really looking forward to it."

"That's absolutely the goal. It is to win and to eventually fight for the world championship”;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/anton...es-lofty-goals


Russell tips Antonelli for major step forward heading into 2026
2 Feb 2026
Tobia Elia
GPblog.com

George Russell has spoken about what he expects from his teammate Kimi Antonelli as he heads into his second season with Mercedes. “Kimi very much falls into the category of a future top-class driver, and there’s no doubt he’ll take another step forward this year compared to last” - George Russell

The Briton, speaking to GPblog among other media, voiced strong confidence in the young Italian, describing Antonelli as one of the standout talents to watch in the future of Formula 1.
“I expect Kimi to really step things up this year,” he said. “He’s clearly a driver with huge potential, and you only have to look at the progress Oscar made over his time in Formula 1 to see how quickly someone can reach a very high level”

“I’ve always had a great deal of respect for Kimi, and I expect him to push me throughout the season. That said, I believe in myself. I believe I can beat anyone on this grid, and I’m working extremely hard to make that happen. I wouldn’t be intimidated by being teammates with anyone.” Russell finally added: “Kimi very much falls into the category of a future top-class driver, and there’s no doubt he’ll take another step forward this year compared to last.”

“Kimi very much falls into the category of a future top-class driver”;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/russe...ding-into-2026


George Russell wary of 'sexy' Aston Martin after 'spectacular' Adrian Newey influence
Has Adrian Newey found a sweet spot with his first Aston Martin design? It certainly raised eyebrows in Barcelona.
3 February 2026
Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

George Russell has conceded to being wary of Adrian Newey's "pretty spectacular" debut car with Aston Martin, but has warned that F1's new era is not about the sexiest design. "The Aston Martin was probably the most standout in terms of the car design," said Russell, speaking to select media, including RacingNews365.

"I think everybody was looking at that rear suspension, and obviously, visually it looks very impressive, but it's not a competition of how sexy it is. It's a competition of how fast it goes around the track. People always look towards the fastest car, and we'll find that out in Melbourne. Whoever that is, that will be the car that you wish to try and take inspiration from."

‘George Russell has conceded to being wary of Adrian Newey's "pretty spectacular" debut car’;

https://racingnews365.com/george-rus...ewey-influence

[Fortitude]

Williams becomes final team to run its 2026 F1 car on track.
Williams completed this run as part of its 'promotional filming day' allowance. It will complete a second such filming day in Bahrain on February 10, a day before the first official pre-season test starts.
04 Feb 2026
Jack Cozens
The Race

Williams has now run the full FW48 on track in a shakedown at Silverstone. Race drivers Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz both got to drive the car, which ran in the fan-chosen livery that will be used at the upcoming Bahrain pre-season tests.

More on Williams's pre season so far;
• How much did Williams really lose from missing first F1 test?
• Zero-rods? Williams's unusual 2026 F1 showcar explained
• Williams reveals livery for late 2026 F1 car that's 'most complex' yet
• Williams promises 'different' front suspension, but not as extreme as Newey
• What latest 'painful' F1 car delay has exposed about Vowles' Williams
• Video: What late 2026 F1 car has exposed about Williams

Prior to its Silverstone shakedown run, Williams did complete a virtual track test (VTT) programme in lieu of being at Barcelona. This involved "most of the physical car", according to team principal James Vowles, which included "the chassis, the engine, the gearbox" but did not have its "wings bolted to it".

‘Final team to run its 2026 F1 car’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/w...e-2026-f1-car/


James Vowles and Alex Albon react to first 2026 Williams run after avoiding embarrassing scenario
5 February 2026
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

How Williams avoided a ‘highly embarrassing’ no-show at the Barcelona shakedown. Journalist Chris Medland was speaking on the RACER Weekly Podcast about Williams’ start to 2026.
He shared what sources within the team were telling him about not making it to Spain and explained:

“I was told when they announced that they weren’t going to be in Barcelona that the only crash test that they hadn’t yet passed was to do with the nose box and that actually there was a way of them manufacturing a compromise, but then that was at cost that might still not be fully ready and pass the test until you’d actually done it. And he would then have sent the whole team out to Barcelona to get ready and have personnel there waiting for the car to show up and build the garage and everything like that.”

“And then maybe still not make it, which would be highly embarrassing, but be costly. This is the cost cap era. You can’t just keep throwing money at things that aren’t actually going to happen. So they then decided, well, we’ve still got two more tests. We’ve still got at that point over two weeks until Bahrain. If you spend that whole time just focusing on Bahrain rather than scrambling to get to Barcelona, maybe you can do a bit more work on engineering and development and improve the car.”

'Reaction';

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/jam...sing-scenario/


James Vowles dismisses Williams 2026 title hopes as ‘not realistic’
Feb 05, 2026
The Straits Times

“Our expectation is that 2025 set the baseline. P5 is where I want us to be at our base, and we nudge forward from there,” British Formula One team Williams Team Principal James Vowles said. “But it’s exponentially harder, in my experience, being P4, and exponentially harder being P3, P2, P1. And I think with what you can see at the moment, the journey to P2, P1 is simply not on the cards for 2026. We have work to do. But do I expect that, as a baseline, we perform at least where we were last year? Yes.”

Williams won the last of their nine constructors’ titles in 1997 when Jacques Villeneuve also won the drivers’ world championship. Vowles is confident that the long-term planning is there to return to the glory days. “Am I confident we as a business have made a step forward from 2025 to 2026 in the way we’re working? Absolutely,” he added.

“There’s some elements of the car that are really quite impressive. Not all of it, but elements of it. Are we at championship level today? No. But I’m confident the way we are going about this will allow us to catch up in the time frame. I will always invest in our future... The decisions that we made in 2025 were the right ones to make sure we forward invest in this team.”

“P5 is where I want us to be at our base”;

https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/f...-not-realistic


Williams cut through speculated FW48 rumour with hard facts
4 Feb 2026
Tobia Elia
GPblog.com

Williams FW48 is already running very close to the 2026 minimum weight limit according to the technical data, contrary to earlier speculation. “In terms of weight, until there are two race cars built to the correct specification going forward, it’s hard to comment on that”
- James Vowles.

“But even so, in that regard, your question was: does that stop you being competitive right now? “No one knows – and I really do mean no one – what the pecking order is, especially ourselves as we haven’t been on track, so it’s hard for me to answer that question.”

‘Hard facts’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/willi...f-on-the-table


Williams missed test to be competitive says Vowles
FEBRUARY 4, 2026
GrandPrix.com

Williams team boss James Vowles has defended the decision to miss the entire Barcelona shakedown week, insisting delaying the FW48 was painful but necessary as the team prioritises competitiveness. “I wish we hadn't had to confront it so aggressively to discover all the weaknesses,” he admitted.

“But if we'd known the limitations of our processes - how we communicate, how we move pieces within the company - we would have changed the programme earlier. hat pleases me, in a strange way, is that if you avoid a problem, it doesn't hurt enough to dig deep and fix it. This won't happen again. You have to let the pain of failure drive change.”

“The decisions made in 2025 were the right ones - investing upstream for 2026”, he explained. “Have we made a significant leap from 2025 to 2026? Absolutely. Some elements of the car are truly impressive. Are we at championship level today? No. He was equally clear about tempering expectations even for next year. “World champion in 2027 is not realistic,” Vowles said bluntly.

“To be competitive”;

https://www.grandprix.com/news/willi...ys-vowles.html


First look: Williams FW48 hits the track in F1 2026 shakedown at Silverstone
4 Feb 2026
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Williams later confirmed that Sainz and Albon shared driving duties at Silverstone, with the team planning to use a second filming day in Bahrain on February 10 – 24 hours before the start of the second pre-season test in Sakhir.

Speaking to PlanetF1.com and other select media outlets last week, Williams team principal James Vowles insisted that the team could have made Barcelona testing. However, concerns over spare parts at the start of the season led to the “incredibly painful” decision to miss the shakedown.

‘FW48 hits the track’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/willia...wn-silverstone


Williams’ FW48 Turns First Laps at Silverstone in Fan Chosen ‘Flow State’ Livery
4 Feb 2026
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

The ‘Flow State’ livery was selected from six competing concepts as part of the team’s ‘Your Livery’ initiative, which drew almost 55,000 votes from fans across 162 countries over a seven day period in December. The project forms part of Williams’ broader commitment to bringing fans closer to the sport through digital engagement and live activations.

Team Principal James Vowles described the day as a significant milestone for the organisation. “This was a milestone day for us and it is always a very proud moment to see a new car on track for the first time,” he said. “The team has absolutely pulled together under the pressure of the situation and delivered a car today for a planned promotional filming day here at Silverstone.”

"We were able to understand more about our package in preparation for Bahrain next week, and Carlos and Alex were able to provide some positive feedback to direct us, while also identifying some minor issues for us to clean up between now and then. The push isn't over yet – this is just the beginning and there is more in front of us.”

‘Williams’ FW48’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/28207

[Fortitude]

Key voices at Mercedes want to ‘get rid’ of world champions McLaren as an engine customer.
“There are voices in Stuttgart saying that ‘we actually have to get rid of them so that we can become world champions again.” F1-Insider’s Ralf Bach.
8 January 2026
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

According to F1-Insider’s Ralf Bach, some at the Mercedes HQ in Stuttgart are pushing for the F1 team to split with McLaren when the current contract concludes. There is a feeling that McLaren are standing in the way of Mercedes ‘becoming world champions again’. The HPP division has been regarded as the benchmark since the start of the turbo/hybrid era in 2014 and is widely believed to have built the best engine for the 2026 regulations.

If McLaren outclass Mercedes in the aerodynamics department, the horsepower advantage over the rest of the field may count for little. “How long can Mercedes afford to keep supplying McLaren?” Bach asked. “They also have the Mercedes engine. There are voices in Stuttgart saying that ‘we actually have to get rid of them so that we can become world champions again.” Toto Wolff has indicated that Mercedes plan to cut down the number of teams they supply in the next rules cycle, which will begin in 2030.

‘Voices in Stuttgart’.

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/key...gine-customer/


Zak Brown outlines how Red Bull ‘pleasantly surprised’ him during 2026 Barcelona shakedown
5 February 2026
Tyler Rowlinson
F1 Oversteer

Zak Brown was left ‘pleasantly surprised’ by Red Bull’s progress with their 2026 engine. The Milton Keynes outfit are entering a new era in 2026, becoming a power unit supplier for the first time in their history. Red Bull have come a long way to get the engine up and running, leaving many to wonder where they will end up on the grid.

Talking about the shakedown in a media press conference, via journalist David Land’s YouTube channel, Zak Brown said: “So early to tell, but it kind of looks like the usual suspects, but too hard to tell in what order. The Red Bull engine was very strong. I think everyone was, let’s say, pleasantly surprised. I’d rather them not be as competitive! But, impressed with what they’ve done because they came out, they did a lot of miles and they seem to be very competitive.”

“Bull engine was very strong”;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/zak...ona-shakedown/


Lando Norris says 2026 F1 cars ‘feel like F2 in some ways’
Reigning F1 champion Lando Norris gives his feedback on the new 2026 cars
5 Feb 2026
Lewis Duncan
Crash.Net

Reigning Formula 1 world champion Lando Norris admits the 2026 machines “feel like an F2 car in some ways”, which “I don’t know if I like that or not”. The 2026 F1 season marks the first of its radical new car regulations, with the ground effect machinery replaced by smaller and lighter ones.

“It certainly feels like an F2 car in some ways with how you have to drive it,” he said, talking about the challenges facing the teams and drivers coming into 2026. “I don’t know if I like that or not for the time being. But I think we understood quite a few things already from Barcelona on how you had to drive the car, but Barcelona, you’re talking about fourth-gear corners, third-gear corners, quite open, quite wide.”

“And when you get to a street track or bumpier tracks, slower tracks, that’s a question we’re yet to answer. And Bahrain will answer some of those questions. It will be a learning curve. But I have strong confidence in myself and strong confidence in my team. But it will be a learning curve for both of us as it will for everyone on the grid.”

‘2026 machines feel like an F2 car’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/108896...l-f2-some-ways


Lando Norris issues sarcastic response when told George Russell is favourite for the 2026 F1 title
5 February 2026
Ashley Hambly
F1 Oversteer

Martin Brundle believes Russell will fancy his chances of securing a maiden title this season, and according to Sky Sports F1’s Craig Slater, the British driver is the ‘bookmaker’s favourite’. When asked for his thoughts on this by Slater during an interview at McLaren’s Woking-based headquarters, Norris couldn’t help but laugh.

He sarcastically responded to the journalist with, “He is the massive favourite, to be honest with you. I completely agree with the bookmakers.” Mercedes are regarded as the benchmark in the upcoming season largely due to their impressive reliability at last week’s shakedown in Barcelona.

“I completely agree with the bookmakers”;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/lan...2026-f1-title/


‘You’re going to see more chaos in races where…’: Formula One champion Lando Norris on new rules in F1
5 Feb 2026
Express News Service
Indian Express

The defending champion Lando Norris spoke about how the driver’s main challenge will be battery management as well as knowing how to utilise the battery energy. “The biggest challenge at the minute is battery management and knowing how to utilise that in the best way. It’s not simple. You can explain it in quite simple terms. It’s just that you have a very powerful battery that doesn’t last very long, so knowing how to use it at the right times, how much energy, how much of that power you use, how you split it up around the lap…”

“The biggest challenge is how you can recover the batteries as well as possible, and that’s when it comes down to using the gears, hitting the right revs. Obviously, you’ve got some turbo lag now, which we’ve never really had before. All of these little things have crept back in, but I don’t think that changes too much. In a perfect world, I probably wouldn’t have [all] that in a race car, but it’s just F1. Sometimes you have these different challenges,” said Norris.

‘More chaos in races’;

https://indianexpress.com/article/sp...haos-10515988/


Norris demands to be 'punched' on one condition after life-changing success
5 Feb 2026
Kada Sarkozi
GPblog.com

Lando Norris wants to be reminded of his 2025 title if he is not smiling this year. He said: "I still have many more years in Formula 1 and I will still try and get as many more championships as possible. If I never do, I'm still happy. If you ever see me not smiling or something, just punch me or something, Remind me. I achieved my goal in life and I'm very happy, I'm proud. That's something I'll always take with me."

"I still achieved one. The 20 years I spent from starting karting to last year, trying to achieve what I achieved and what we all achieved as a team and my group and my family, what we achieved last year... So it's a lot of time and effort and singular focus and then it's done. I guess not many people in life get to achieve that end goal or their life goal, but that was it."

‘If he is not smiling this year’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/norri...anging-success


Why Lando Norris isn’t worried by rival innovations in F1 2026
5 Feb 2026
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Reigning World Champion Norris says the teams have to accept that someone has done a better job and then set about reeling them in. “There’s always that element of looking at others, that’s also just part of the sport,” he told F1TV during the Barcelona shakedown. “You look at others, see what other great minds have come up with, what ideas they’ve come up with, see how you can learn from it, incorporate it, avoid it, whatever it may be.”

“You always have to be willing to accept that sometimes people can do a better job and you want to learn from them. I’m happy with the team’s efforts and everything we’ve done so far this year, but yeah, it’s going to be a long year, so we’ll keep working hard, we’ll make sure everyone’s happy and take it from there.”

“Sometimes people can do a better job”;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/f1-202...al-innovations

[Fortitude]

Juan Pablo Montoya has heard that one F1 team are hiding an extra ‘four seconds’ of performance.
The times they were doing in Barcelona, from what I’ve heard, are between three and four seconds away from the car’s full potential.” Juan Pablo Montoya, a former F1 driver.
6 February 2026
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Juan Pablo Montoya reveals the extent of Mercedes’ sandbagging. Juan Pablo Montoya, a former F1 driver and now a pundit, has ‘heard’ that Mercedes haven’t even come close to pushing flat out in their W17. In fact, he says they may still have another three to four seconds in their pocket. That means Russell could have set a mid-1:12 in full qualifying trim.

Montoya was then asked whether Mercedes could be as dominant as Red Bull were at the start of 2023. The team scored four one-two finishes in the first five races and were unbeaten until round 15. One key difference is that Mercedes supply engines to McLaren, the reigning world champions. Their power unit is seen as the basis of their superiority, but it will also strengthen Zak Brown’s team. “Someone will get it right, and someone will get it wrong,” Montoya said. “If Mercedes is far superior, does that mean all the Mercedes teams are going to be strong?”

‘W17’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/jua...f-performance/


Gary Anderson on the 2026 return of an F1 design trend
Feb 7, 2026
Gary Anderson
The Race

One of the big talking points about the new 2026 Formula 1 cars is the return of what was called the "mousehole". That can be seen, below, with the red highlight here on the McLaren under the old ground effect regulations. As the slot in the rear of the floor leading into the diffuser exit has been enlarged this year, I suppose it should now be called "the rathole", and it certainly could put the cat among the pigeons in terms of performance.

The lead illustration shows how the opening is on the Mercedes. It's believed to allow airflow to be pulled through it into the diffuser expansion area, which is similar to the effect with the mouseholes that we have seen before. But why would you want to reduce the performance of the diffuser with such a big opening?

To complicate the airflow structure even more in this area, the small louvres on the floor's top surface allow airflow to be pulled through them (magenta arrows). These will help reduce the airflow that is being pulled under the floor by the low pressure underneath the car and connect it to the tyre squirt, which is the airflow created by the squeezing effect from the tyre tread meeting the track surface. If this can be achieved, it will improve the performance of the underfloor in this area.

‘The "mousehole" should now be called "the rathole"!’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/f...gary-anderson/


Five winners and six losers from F1's secret testing sessions
30 Jan 2026
Matt Majendie
i News

Mercedes (183 laps without any noticeable gremlins and another 168 on Thursday)
Red Bull and Racing Bulls (Perhaps a surprise winner – well, certainly on the opening day of testing).
Ferrari (Completed a table-topping 170 circuits of the track)
McLaren (Lando Norris: “A decent day, a productive day”. That said, the following day it was a case of just 48 circuits of the track.)

Williams: Williams team principal James Vowles tried to put a brave face on the fact that his crew didn’t run on any days at all in Barcelona.
Aston Martin: AMR26 only made a first appearance in the last hour of the penultimate day and initially looked good before the car came to a halt in the hands of Lance Stroll and the session was red flagged.
Haas(154 laps on day one before some mechanical issues curtailed them on their return to track), Alpine(shy of running on their opener) and Audi(hampered by a couple of mechanical issues).

‘F1's secret testing sessions’;

https://inews.co.uk/sport/formula-on...00?ITO=newsnow


What the 2026 F1 cars are like – according to the drivers
7 Feb 2026
Formula One - Official Site

First we go to reigning World Champion Lando Norris, who explained to a select group of media including F1.com in the days after the Barcelona Shakedown that the new machine is “fun to drive”.
Team mate Oscar Piastri also shared his thoughts, with the Australian enjoying the opportunity to finally experience the MCL40 in Barcelona and discover that there are “challenges but not as alien as we might have feared”.

Over at Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton was left with a positive impression following his time at the wheel of the SF-26 in Barcelona. “In terms of just understanding the car and the balance, we have a lot less downforce than previous years,”
On the other side of the garage, Charles Leclerc suggested that the challenge posed by the new cars is one that brings excitement. “It’s an exciting time for Formula 1, where there’s so much change that we’ve got to adapt as drivers…”

George Russell has been left impressed by the power that the new engines provide, with the Mercedes driver commenting early on at the Barcelona Shakedown: “There was obviously a lot of anticipation for these new power units, and so far, just generally on the whole, the amount of power they give is pretty impressive.”

‘The drivers verdict’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...a2kSCAPNeCmaBL


Juan Pablo Montoya disagrees with what Adrian Newey has said ahead of the 2026 F1 season
6 February 2026
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

Juan Pablo Montoya who worked with Newey at McLaren in 2005, cannot believe the 67-year-old’s suggestion that Aston Martin’s wind tunnel is now the very best in F1. He also expects Aston Martin are “going to struggle” with syncing their wind tunnel and on-track data during 2026.

Montoya told AS: “The thing is, they have one of the best, [but] not the best, wind tunnels, and the most modern and latest wind tunnel technology. But the most important thing is the results produced by the model, and the results produced by the actual car. That’s the most complicated part. That’s where I personally think they’re going to struggle.”

‘Syncing their wind tunnel and on-track data’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/jua...026-f1-season/


Red Bull Will Be The Deciding Vote In The Battle To Outlaw Mercedes' F1 Engine Loophole
FEB. 6, 2026
BRAD BROWNELL
jalopnik.com

The rumor in the paddock is that Red Bull attempted to replicate Mercedes' efforts, but couldn't find the gains Mercedes did and instead leaked the documents to the other manufacturers in an effort to bring this to light. With support from Red Bull, the anti-Mercedes teams will have to hope that Formula One Management will vote their way.

The 2026 Formula One World Championship will finalize all engine homologation on March 1st, which would give Mercedes very little time to build a different engine if it were required to by any potential engine regulation or measurement change. Likewise, the season kicks off a week later at the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne on the 8th of March. It seems highly unlikely that F1 would make an engine rule change now that could have massive implications on the running order for the 2026 season.

If anything, it seems more likely that the FIA would allow this method of measurement for the full 2026 season, giving Mercedes the competitive advantage it has built. If the FIA and FOM decided they wanted to change the rulebook for 2027, however, that would allow Mercedes plenty of time to develop a new engine for that set of rules. Creative interpretation of the rulebook is what Formula One is about, after all.

‘Leaked the documents to the other manufacturers’;

https://www.jalopnik.com/2095037/red...gine-loophole/

[Fortitude]

Christian Horner would be proud of what Laurent Mekies has just done to annoy Toto Wolff.
Mekies has handled the situation as any great team boss would – if you can’t join them, beat them.
7 Feb 2026
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

As reported by Motorsport, Red Bull may have found lap time through their research, but not as much as Mercedes. On that basis, they could ‘push for action’ against the Silver Arrows, joining a voting bloc with Ferrari, Audi and Honda. Mekies is smart enough to see the bigger picture. It’s better for Red Bull to forfeit their own gains if it means Mercedes won’t have a game-changing advantage themselves.

Toto Wolff will be furious over Red Bull defection. What happens now? Red Bull could sign a letter of protest penned by Mercedes’ rivals, effectively suggesting the W17 is illegal in its current form. The F1 Commission could soon vote on a proposal to measure fuel compression ratios in real time, or at least when the engine is still hot, potentially forcing Mercedes to surrender their weapon.

Toto Wolff, Horner’s long-time nemesis, would be furious over such an outcome, particularly if the rules are changed before 2027. He has already blasted competitors for trying to find ‘excuses’ and is adamant that his car is compliant with the regulations. t seems Red Bull may have leaked the story to the rest of the grid in the first place, which generated the storm. Mekies has handled the situation as any great team boss would – if you can’t join them, beat them.

‘Toto Wolff will be furious’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/chr...oy-toto-wolff/


Max Verstappen’s early verdict on Red Bull’s eye-catching 2026 F1 engine
Max Verstappen gives his first thoughts on Red Bull’s new engine after opening 2026 F1 test
7 Feb 2026
Lewis Duncan
Crash.Net

“I think, overall, pretty decent,” Verstappen told the official F1 website when asked about the Barcelona shakedown with the RB22. “The first morning, I didn’t get too many laps, also with the weather basically. “But [the last day] was good. I did a lot of laps, we learned a lot. Still a lot of things that we want to look into and do better, but that’s normal, I guess.”

“In general, with the new engine, to do the amount of laps that we did is very nice and it’s a good start for us. So, positive, but it’s still very early days. Still a work in progress, but I think we’ve hit the ground running quite well with those things. It’s still a very complicated formula, I think, for everyone, so there’s still quite a bit of work to do. But that’s normal.”

“We learned a lot”;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/108907...2026-f1-engine


Max Verstappen confidence hints early promise for Red Bull-Ford alliance
2 Feb 2026
Lena Ferle
Motorsport Week

Max Verstappen has given little away in public, but his demeanour has caught attention as Red Bull beds in its first in-house Formula 1 power unit. According to Bernie Collins, the four-time World Champion looks far more at ease than the noise around Red Bull Powertrains might suggest. Subtle cues have hinted at confidence within the team.

Expectations had been tempered long before the car hit the track. Many in the paddock predicted Red Bull would struggle to match Ferrari and Mercedes, both long-established engine manufacturers. “There was a lot of noise in the paddock last year that this engine was really going to struggle,” Collins explained. “It wasn’t going to be as good as the others, and I guess the story was maybe different internally at Red Bull, but we are starting to see that confidence come out a little bit.”

“Max is sounding very relaxed, and I think you can tell by their posture, he’s not just saying the words, he is looking very relaxed. He does say that the car has room for improvement, that’s what happens in the first test of any season, but he does look quietly confident. He’s got that little smile he sometimes carries when he is in these interviews, that he knows much more than we do.”

‘Early promise’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2026/...ford-alliance/


George Russell issues huge Red Bull F1 engine warning: ‘They’ve delivered’
Red Bull’s new engine caught George Russell by surprise at the recent Barcelona F1 test
2 Feb 2026
Lewis Duncan
Crash.Net

Mercedes Formula 1 driver George Russell has praised Red Bull’s new power unit, labelling it “very impressive” following the Barcelona pre-season test last month. The 2026 Red Bull, and the sister Racing Bulls team, are running in-house-built Red Bull Powertrain units that have had input from Ford. The new engine enjoyed a strong start to the season during last month’s opening winter test at Barcelona, showing good performance and reliability across its running.

This caught the eye of Mercedes’ George Russell.: “But we’ve been quite surprised by what we’ve seen from some our rivals, especially on the Red Bull power unit side. That looks very impressive, especially given they’re a new outfit. It’s very reliable as well, so kudos to them. We’ve had a very reliable test; we’ll have to wait and see if the car lives up to expectations.”

“Kudos to them”;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/108875...eyve-delivered


Isack Hadjar’s testing crash ‘reminded many’ Red Bull staff of F1 driver who lasted just nine races
3 February 2026
Ashley Hambly
F1 Oversteer

‘Many’ Red Bull staff were reminded of Pierre Gasly when Isack Hadjar crashed during Barcelona test. During an appearance on the F1 Insider podcast, journalist Ralf Bach revealed what ‘many’ Red Bull employees were reminded of after seeing Hadjar crash out during F1’s inaugural week of testing at the Circuit de Catalunya.

He said, “It seems to be a kind of virus: you jump into the Red Bull, have Max Verstappen as your teammate, and instead of being cool and doing your own thing, you just go out there and try to beat him. “I heard that he just looked at the times Max was driving, where he could be faster, and boom, the car was wrecked. That cost a day of testing, maybe even more.”

“It reminded many at Red Bull of Pierre Gasly, the one from before, who was also at Red Bull at one time. He wrecked a car during a test drive, which cost them valuable time, so Hadjar didn’t do himself any favours there. Someone needs to talk to him and say, look, you’ve got one of the best drivers of all time up against you. You can’t just focus on competing with him. Just do your thing as best you can and then see how far you get. But at the moment, it’s the same old story.”

'F1 driver who lasted just nine races';

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/isa...st-nine-races/


Max Verstappen reveals how he maintains a "super simple" life amid F1 success
4 Feb 2026
Lydia Mee
Motorsport.com

“I try to be myself, to be honest. I don’t need to meet a famous person. I don’t need to act differently because I know what I need to do, is to perform, right? If I don’t perform, I’m out. It’s as simple as that,” the Red Bull driver told TAG Heuer.

“I have very good friends around me that keep me grounded. Same with my family. They are the most important in my life. Of course, along the way, because of F1, you meet a lot of important people, like you said, celebrities, but I’m not there for it. I just embrace it. I do what I need to do and then I go home. That’s why I try to keep my life super simple, nothing crazy. Just try to live a normal life outside of Formula 1.”

"Super simple";

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/m...cess/10795083/

[Fortitude]

“A Line in the Sand,” claims Toto Wolff on Mercedes, Reinvention, and the High Stakes Dawn of 2026.
“2026 is a line in the sand for all of us,” Wolff says, leaning forward slightly, as if to underline the point. “It’s a moment where every assumption, every habit, every comfort zone gets stripped away. And that’s exactly why it’s so exciting.” Toto Wolff.
8 Feb 2026
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Toto Wolff sounds almost invigorated. “We’ve faced big regulation changes before, but never all at once like this. Power unit, aero, tyres, energy systems — it’s a complete reinvention of the sport. If you get it right, you can redefine the next decade. If you get it wrong, you spend years trying to claw your way back.” He pauses, letting the weight of that truth settle: “We don’t intend to claw anything back. We intend to lead. People talk about 2014 as if it was magic. It wasn’t magic — it was preparation, courage, and a willingness to challenge ourselves more brutally than anyone else. 2026 demands that same mentality. Maybe even more.”

“You can’t build a car in one place and an engine in another anymore. Not with these rules. The W17 is one organism. If one part fails, the whole thing fails. If one part excels, the whole thing moves forward. That’s the challenge — and the beauty — of this era. “We’ve made bold decisions. Some people will say too bold. But if you’re timid in a year like this, you’re finished before you start. I’d rather take a risk that scares us than settle for a solution that keeps us comfortable. Comfort doesn’t win championships.”

Wolff speaks about George Russell and Kimi Antonelli with a mixture of pride and expectation. Their contrasting profiles — Russell’s polished steel, Antonelli’s raw electricity — form a pairing that Wolff believes is perfectly suited to the unknowns of 2026. “George is the benchmark. He’s become one of the most complete drivers in the field — fast, analytical, unshakeable under pressure. Kimi is the spark. He’s fearless, curious, and unbelievably quick. Together, they push each other in all the right ways.”

“We don’t intend to claw anything back. We intend to lead”;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/28209


Toto Wolff against Mercedes ‘world dominance’ in F1 2026
8 Feb 2026
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Still viewed as the F1 2026 title favourites by many, Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff would like his squad right there in the championship fight, but “world dominance” is not his desire.

It was put to Wolff, by PlanetF1.com and others, that he would like Mercedes to dominate Formula 1 in an ideal world, but as a team shareholder, must think of the bigger picture, of Formula 1’s overall health, which would benefit from strong competition at the front.

Wolff replied: “Maybe someone that is on a limited contract would see it you want world dominance and win 24 races of 24, and make it the most successful campaign that any team has ever had.”

‘World dominance’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/toto-w...orld-dominance


Wolff cools Mercedes hype: 'We haven’t seen Verstappen pushing the car'
2 Feb 2026
Tobia Elia
GPblog.com

Toto Wolff has chosen to keep expectations in check, mindful that teams in Barcelona were not focused on outright performance. The Austrian, speaking to a selected group of media including GPblog, said he was encouraged by the car’s early signs but stressed the need to keep his feet firmly on the ground until genuinely representative lap times begin to emerge.

“I’m really happy with how it went for us in terms of the interaction between the power unit deployment and the chassis. That said, we had three solid days — something to build on — but we don’t yet have a clear performance picture. We haven’t seen Max push the car, and we haven’t seen McLaren or Ferrari show what they can really do. I’d therefore be careful about saying it was great for us. We simply don’t know.”

‘Keep expectations in check’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/wolff...ushing-the-car


Mercedes boss Toto Wolff gives first verdict of ‘spectacular’ F1 2026 cars
5 Feb 2026
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff gave an overwhelmingly positive review of the new regulations and suggested the cars “look like Formula 1 cars again.” “I don’t see any worse points,” Wolff, who is the longest serving active team principal, said. “I’m not overselling here or trying to make a product better than it is. But I think the cars are awesome. They look spectacular. They look like Formula 1 cars again. They’re not too small, they’re not too big. They’re not like the whales of the past. The aesthetics are very good.”

“I like the engine concept in terms of the boost. George [Russell] went past [Franco] Colapinto [in the Barcelona shakedown] whilst Colapinto was doing his long runs, I think it was like 60 kilometres straight line speed difference and that is super exciting. We are going to see much more overtaking,” the 54-year-old said.

“We’re going to see it in areas that we wouldn’t expect it. Apart from the fact of the quickest cars, the best drivers, it’s also gonna have this additional dimension of intelligent driving and tactics that are going to be easy to understand, in my opinion, for Formula 1. So, so far, I haven’t really seen any negatives and again, I wouldn’t bulls**t or oversell anything that I don’t believe. For me so far, it’s ticked all the boxes.”

‘Overwhelmingly positive review’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/merced...s-look-classic


Max Verstappen's new power unit also caught Toto Wolff's eye
8 Feb 2026
Kada Sarkozi
GPblog.com

Mercedes CEO and team principal Toto Wolff also gave a positive first impression of the new Red Bull Ford power unit. "When it comes to Red Bull, I think they've done a good job," Wolff told a select group of media, including GPblog. The Mercedes team boss added: "Hadjar did 107 laps I believe on the first day and was running reliably, so you have got to give them that."

‘Positive first impression of the new Red Bull Ford power unit’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/wolff...-done-good-job


Ferrari already working on a ‘substantial’ response to expected FIA ruling on Mercedes engine trick
4 February 2026
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

Ferrari are designing a new engine for 2027 as they expect the FIA will allow Mercedes’ trick. Mercedes team principal Wolff has hit out at the accusations that his squad are not working in line with the 2026 F1 regulations. Wolff has told Mercedes’ F1 rivals to “just get your s— together” and he suggests that Ferrari, Honda and Audi may just be trying to “find excuses”.

Enrico Gualtieri, the technical director of Ferrari’s engine division, has ‘given the green light’ for their engineers to develop ‘substantial modifications’ for their power unit, with the goal of creating a dynamic compression ratio. But any changes are unlikely to be raced this season. Ferrari will bring the production of their engine connecting rod back in-house, as they need a new design with a high enough thermal expansion coefficient that it can then ‘stretch’ and reverse the loss of compression due to thermal expansion inside their engine for likely 2027.

‘Substantial response’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/fer...-engine-trick/

[Fortitude]

Bahrain F1 test will expose Barcelona's illusions.
Barcelona proved Formula 1's radical 2026 cars can run, but only Bahrain's tests will reveal who's genuinely quick and who's in trouble.
10 Feb 2026
Pablo Elizalde
Motor Sport Magazine

Mercedes completed 502 laps in Barcelona. Five hundred and two. As Aston Martin managed around 65 and Williams didn’t even show up, Mercedes churned through mileage like a team possessed to surprise even itself. It looked impressive, but it may also have been necessary: a team prioritising correlation, software validation and system robustness over outright exploration.

Dominant form, surely? Maybe. Ferrari looked imperious in 2022. Mercedes seemed sorted in 2023 — a team convinced it had finally understood its own car. Both seasons ended in disappointment. The problem isn’t just that teams are trying to deceive, but that pre-season testing happens in conditions utterly divorced from the reality of a race weekend, a fact that is even truer this year.

‘Bahrain F1 test’;

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/a.../?nowprocket=1


FIA prepared for flood of allegations as F1 season nears
Although the compression ratio issue has dominated F1 in recent weeks, with the start of the new season approaching, new topics of debate may soon take centre stage.
10 February 2026
Sàndor Mészáros
RacingNews365

The "official" part of the preparation period for the new F1 season is about to begin, with the teams spending two three-day sessions testing their 2026 cars in Bahrain over the next two weeks. The first act was the five-day 'Shakedown Week' held behind closed doors in Barcelona, where Mercedes proved to be strong, which really stirred up emotions.

Since the end of last year, there have been rumours that the Silver Arrows have found a loophole in the compression ratio of internal combustion engines: even then, it was rumoured that competing manufacturers were unhappy with the situation, and the performance in Barcelona added fuel to the fire. With Red Bull reportedly joining Ferrari, Audi, and Honda in opposing Mercedes' trick, the opposition has grown stronger and the quartet is pushing for a solution as soon as possible.

Leaks from recent engine manufacturer meetings suggest that the four members are expecting a satisfactory solution to the issue before the season-opening Australian Grand Prix. The situation is escalating, with Mercedes sticking to its position that the engine is completely legal, while the FIA has stated that it is seeking a solution that is satisfactory to all parties.

‘Flood of allegations’;

https://racingnews365.com/fia-prepar...1-season-nears


Zak Brown discusses chances of all-Mercedes cars being banned from Australian GP
9 Feb 2026
Co-author:Tim Kraaij
Ben Hunt
GPblog.com

Zak Brown has moved to shut down speculation surrounding Mercedes’ Formula 1 power unit, dismissing claims of a compression-ratio loophole as “typical politics” during pre-season testing. Speaking at a media briefing that included GPblog, Brown suggested the controversy was part of Formula 1’s long-standing competitive culture. “It’s typical politics of Formula One,” Brown said. “The engine has been designed and is totally compliant within the rules. That’s what the sport is about. It’s no different from things like double diffusers that we’ve seen in the past, where they were compliant within the rules.”

Speaking at a media briefing that included GPblog, Brown suggested the controversy was part of Formula 1’s long-standing competitive culture. “It’s typical politics of Formula One,” Brown said. “The engine has been designed and is totally compliant within the rules. That’s what the sport is about. It’s no different from things like double diffusers that we’ve seen in the past, where they were compliant within the rules.”

There is no advantage: Brown also rejected suggestions that Mercedes has found a decisive performance advantage, despite claims from rival manufacturers. “I don’t believe there’s a significant advantage as being represented by the competition,” he added. “But of course, it’s their job that any perceived advantage they’ll make some story out of it. The reality is the engines are completely compliant, they’ve passed all their tests, and HPP has done a good job.”

‘Shut down speculation’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/breaking-n...-australian-gp


Tyre availability for pre-season testing in Bahrain
10 February 2026
F1 Chronicle

The Sakhir circuit hosts the first three days from Wednesday 11 to Friday 13 February, with a further three from Wednesday 18 to Friday 20 February. Cars can run on track from 10 am to 2pm and from 3pm to 7pm. Over the course of the six days, all Pirelli slick compounds will be available for testing, though not all at the same time.

For the three days of the first pre-season test, teams can only run the C1, C2 and C3 slick compounds. They can use up to 28 sets of dry weather tyres, while one set of Cinturato Intermediates will also be available to them.

For the second session, from 18 to 20 February, the full range of compounds from C1 to C5 will be available, each team able to use a maximum of 24 sets. No wet weather tyres will be supplied for the second session, but teams can carry over sets previously fitted at the first session, including used sets that have done no more than nine laps.

‘Tyre availability’;

https://f1chronicle.com/tyre-availab.../?nowprocket=1


McLaren unveils 2026 MCL40 Livery in Bahrain
9 Feb 2026
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

McLaren has lifted the covers off its 2026 Formula 1 challenger, the MCL40, during a launch event streamed live from Bahrain — a symbolic choice given the nation’s long standing ties to the team’s ownership. The reveal brought together CEO Zak Brown, Team Principal Andrea Stella, drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, Chief Marketing Officer Lou McEwen, and Chief Designer Rob Marshall, who presented a livery that blends heritage with the confidence of a reigning champion.

Brown emphasised the balance between aesthetics and performance, noting that the livery was shaped with aerodynamic considerations in mind. “The iconic papaya continues on the MCL40 as we keep our tradition of carrying Championship winning liveries through to the next season,” he said. “We’ve balanced creative direction with aero considerations to create this striking 2026 competitor.” He also paid tribute to the organisation behind the scenes: “Thank you to all our committed shareholders and partners, without whom we simply wouldn’t be able to go racing… We’re all excited to see it hit the track.”

“We’ve balanced creative direction with aero considerations”;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/28212


Aston Martin F1: Fernando Alonso admits team is 'at square one' as livery revealed ahead of Bahrain test
10th Feb 2026
David George
National World

Fernando Alonso did not mince his words when asked about Aston Martin’s chances this season. Speaking to Spanish outlet AS, Alonso said: “We’re definitely behind, we’re at square one. I don’t think we’ve even started. “In Barcelona we were able to run some track time, but I treated it more like a filming day - a shakedown that other teams did privately at Silverstone with 200 kilometres that we couldn’t do.”

“Some parts of the car weren’t validated for top speed, and we had to limit ourselves to 280 kilometres per hour on the straights. It’s just one example of how the preparation was pushed to the limit. Bahrain will be our very first test, our very first contact with the car. Barcelona was just starting the car and seeing that everything worked.”

'At square one';

https://www.nationalworld.com/sport/...n-test-5510193


Zak Brown fires ‘uninformed’ jibe at Australian politician for Oscar Piastri bias claim
10/02/2026
Jack Oliver Smith
Motorsport Week

Piastri was leading the Drivers’ Championship by over 30 points during the final third of the campaign, when various incidents and results saw his advantage dissipate. It led Senator Matt Canavan to go as far as raising the question of whether McLaren was favouring Norris in Australia’s parliament. Brown hit back at the time, describing Canavan as “uneducated”, and this week, ahead of the launch of the Woking-based squad‘s new MCL40, the American was asked about the topic once again.

“I think fans – put aside countries – all have various opinions in sport,” he told select media, including Motorsport Week. “It can be frustrating when some people – and again, this isn’t country specific – are very uninformed and the statements you see are just ridiculous. But I don’t think that’s territory specific. I think, as Oscar has communicated many times, he knows he’s getting a fair shake at it.”

“You win some you lose some. Things fall your way, things don’t fall your way. We lost Oscar some points, we lost Lando a lot of points in Holland, etc I think we just need to keep our head down, stay focused and the people that matter most to us know that we bring total sporting fairness to our racing team, our papaya fans and our sponsors, family and friends.”

“You win some you lose some”;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2026/...ri-bias-claim/

[Fortitude]

F1 engine war set for Bahrain boilover as latest pre-season test to answer big questions.
Self-interest rules in Formula 1. Expect the other manufacturers to keep thrashing in Bahrain. The engine manufacturers can’t change the rules themselves; both F1 and the FIA have to agree too.
11 Feb 2026
Michael Lamonato from Fox Sports
Fox Sports (Australia)

The simmering debate over engine legality could boil over and into the open this week as put-out manufacturers attempt to have a controversial loophole closed. Mercedes is said to have found a way to increase its engine compression ratio — that is, how much the air and fuel is compressed in the engine cylinder — while running hot but to return a legal reading when the power unit is measured at ambient temperature. Ferrari, Audi and Honda have been pressing the FIA for answers for months.

Closing the loophole, however, would require four of five manufacturers to agree. With Red Bull also said to be exploiting the loophole, there has been no prospect of a successful vote. Reports from The Race, however, suggest Red Bull has switched camps. It’s a fascinating and late development, especially considering apparent hints from the brand that thermal expansion was engineering 101. Either Red Bull Powertrains was misdirecting or has found that it’s not able to achieve the higher compression ratio.

If Red Bull were to switch, rule changes could be forced through for the start of the season to have the compression ratio measured hot, when the car is on track. “We’ve spent a lot of time … discussing how we solve those issues,” FIA single seaters director Nikolas Tombazis said. “Our intention is to solve them for the start of the season. We don’t want to have controversies. We want people to be competing on the track and not in the courtroom or in the stewards room. That’s what we’re trying to do.”

‘Bahrain boilover’;

https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsp...18751f466a6791


Rivals unite against Mercedes as Hill warns of Australian GP qualifying gap – round-up
10 Feb 2026
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Mercedes facing united front against its engine? According to Cadillac F1 CEO Dan Towriss, this is the case. Towriss claimed that talks are ongoing with the FIA over a solution, with reports pointing to Mercedes as a team which has exploited a compression ratio loophole in the new regulations. Towriss stated that “there’s unanimous views outside of Mercedes” about what the outcome should be.

Given the newness of it all, former F1 driver Johnny Herbert has predicted that the gap in Q1 between the 22 cars at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix could be as high as 1.3s. “1.3,” Herbert told The Race’s Stay on Track podcast, “quite a big difference front to back. 1.2, 1.3.” However, his fellow pundit Damon Hill believes it will be even bigger. “I’m going to say 1.8,” he declared.

‘Australian GP qualifying gap’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/damon-...-australian-gp


Adrian Newey Built F1’s Most Radical Car: Now He Has to Prove It Works
10 FEB 2026
SCOTT GULBRANSEN
Sportsnaut

Adrian Newey is 67 and has been the aerodynamic brain behind 12 constructors’ championship winners at Williams, McLaren, and Red Bull. He doesn’t use computer-aided design. He sketches by hand, with a mechanical pencil, on a drawing board. His cars have won over 200 races. Think of him as the Bill Belichick of F1 engineering, except he’s pulled it off at three different teams. Now he’s at Aston Martin, backed by billionaire Lawrence Stroll, with a gleaming new campus in Silverstone and a fresh engine partnership with Honda.

The ambition is championship contention. Newey is the centerpiece. But there’s a catch. Aston Martin started wind tunnel development on the AMR26 roughly four months after everyone else. Their new facility wasn’t ready until April 2025. Newey didn’t officially join until March, though he spent his contractual gardening leave from Red Bull doing what he always does: thinking about cars.

“The philosophy really came in my gardening leave time from late April, when I was effectively out of the Formula 1 team,” Newey said at the car’s launch on February 9. “We all knew what the regulations were, they were published, so I just tried to sit back and think, ‘OK, I’ve got to think from first principles with these regulations. What could be a possible solution?’”

‘But there’s a catch’;

https://sportsnaut.com/f1/adrian-newey-impact-on-amr26


Adrian Newey deals Fernando Alonso major blow ahead of F1 2026 season
The Aston Martin team boss tempers expectations heading into F1 preseason testing
10 February 2026
Brandon Sutton
Total Motorsport

Adrian Newey deals Fernando Alonso a major blow by warning the Spaniard that Aston Martin are four months behind their rivals heading into the latest round of preseason testing, ahead of the F1 2026 season.

“The AMR Technology Campus is still evolving,” Newey told Aston Martin. “The CoreWeave Wind Tunnel wasn’t on song until April, and I only joined the team last March, so we’ve started from behind, in truth. It’s been a very compressed timescale and an extremely busy 10 months. The reality is that we didn’t get a model of the ’26 car into the wind tunnel until mid-April.”

“Whereas most, if not all of our rivals would have had a model in the wind tunnel from the moment the 2026 aero testing ban ended at the beginning of January last year. That put us on the back foot by about four months, which has meant a very, very compressed research and design cycle. The car only came together at the last minute, which is why we were fighting to make it to the Barcelona Shakedown.”

‘Tempers expectations’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/adr...1-2026-behind/


Aston Martin being ‘closely watched’ by F1 rivals with FIA on alert after Barcelona shakedown
10 Feb 2026
Tyler Rowlinson
F1 Oversteer

Aston Martin are being ‘closely watched’ in Bahrain after rivals feel they have pushed the boundaries. The Silverstone squad are hoping to return to the front of the grid with Adrian Newey and Honda spearheading their operation. Aston Martin unveiled the AMR26 on Monday, having tested the car in Barcelona with the other 10 teams.

They may have missed the opening three days of the test due to development issues, but that did not stop Aston Martin from turning heads in the paddock. Mercedes described the AMR26 as ‘adventurous’ when it hit the track. Newey has clearly gone in his own direction with the car’s design, given his expertise with regulation changes. For example, Newey has enhanced the RB19’s suspension for Aston Martin, using his previous Red Bull concepts in 2026.

Naturally, Newey’s car ‘attracted attention’ from their rivals, as per a report from RacingNews365. Some think that Aston Martin are ‘pushing the boundaries of the regulations’. So much so that the teams are ‘closely watching’ their Silverstone rivals in Bahrain and what Newey will bring to the test. The FIA is almost certain to keep tabs on Aston Martin, but the same goes for the rest of the field.

‘Closely watched’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/ast...ona-shakedown/


Seven things to look out for at first Bahrain F1 2026 test
10 Feb 2026
The Race

Are cars evolving already?
Is the Aston Martin-Honda package close enough?
First real look at the battle out front: Bahrain will be our first real look at anything, never mind the battle to be top dog! But in all seriousness we should at least begin to get a better indication of who's nailed ground zero of this new ruleset.

Do engines really look close?
How far off is the first Cadillac car? It certainly is in terms of clearing the 107% start requirement.
How much did Barcelona absence hurt Williams? The worry will be that missing Barcelona will be a symptom of something bigger at Williams. And there'll be no better time to dispel that notion than in the Bahrain test…

The first public test: No more 'is it a test or just a Shakedown Week?' No more secret testing that isn't really secret because F1 keeps showing the world what you're up to because it makes good 'content'. This week is proper pre-season F1 testing as we've all come to know and expect.

‘Seven things to look out for’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/f...hat-to-expect/

[Fortitude]

Verstappen leads Piastri on first morning of second test in Bahrain.
The Red Bull driver set the quickest time over the first four hours of running at the home of the Bahrain Grand Prix. Teams will have a further four hours of running in the late afternoon and evening.
11th February 2026
Keith Collantine
RaceFans

While Verstappen also exceeded a grand prix distance in the RB22, the next-quickest drivers – Piastri, Mercedes’ George Russell and Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton – fell slightly short. Hamilton lost time with a brief, harmless spin at turn one early in the test.

Bahrain test one, day one morning lap times:
Pos. Car number Driver Team Model Best time Gap Laps
1 33 Max Verstappen Red Bull RB22 1’35.433 65
2 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren MCL40 1’35.602 0.169 54
3 63 George Russell Mercedes W17 1’36.108 0.675 56
4 44 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari SF-26 1’36.433 1.000 52
5 31 Esteban Ocon Haas VF-26 1’37.169 1.736 63
6 41 Arvid Lindblad Racing Bulls 03 1’37.945 2.512 75
7 55 Carlos Sainz Jnr Williams FW48 1’38.221 2.788 77
8 5 Gabriel Bortoleto Audi R26 1’38.871 3.438 49
9 77 Valtteri Bottas Cadillac 1’39.150 3.717 49
10 18 Lance Stroll Aston Martin AMR26 1’39.883 4.450 33
11 43 Franco Colapinto Alpine A526 1’40.330 4.897 28

‘Verstappen leads Piastri’;

https://www.racefans.net/2026/02/11/...st-in-bahrain/


Toto Wolff: Red Bull Ford engine "the benchmark" in F1 Bahrain test
11 Feb 2026
Filip Cleeren
Motorsport.com

Mercedes Formula 1 Chief Toto Wolff believes new power unit manufacturer Red Bull Ford has come out of the gates with the best engine at Bahrain testing.

‘Toto Wolff: Red Bull Ford engine "the benchmark" ‘;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/t...test/10796702/


Williams bounce back as Sainz tops lap charts in Bahrain morning session
11 Feb 2026
Tobia Elia
GPblog.com

Carlos Sainz was the most active driver on track during the opening morning of the Bahrain test. Williams were expected to deliver some answers after skipping the behind-closed-doors Barcelona test, and at least on the reliability front, those answers have come through.

The Williams driver, at the wheel of the FW48 in what was effectively the Grove-based team’s first official on-track session, racked up an impressive 77 laps — covering almost one and a half race distances.

Lap count standings in opening morning session of Bahrain test
Pos Driver Laps
1 Carlos Sainz 77
2 Arvid Lindblad 75
3 Max Verstappen 65
4 Esteban Ocon 64
5 George Russell 56
6 Oscar Piastri 54
7 Lewis Hamilton 52
8 Gabriel Bortoleto 49
9 Valtteri Bottas 49
10 Lance Stroll 33
11 Franco Colapinto 28

‘Williams bounce back’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/willi...orning-session


Everything that happened in first session of Bahrain F1 test
Feb 11, 2026
Josh Suttill
The Race

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen was the fastest driver in the first half of the opening day of Formula 1’s first 2026 Bahrain pre-season test. After its behind-closed-doors five-day Barcelona test (where teams could run on a maximum of three days each), F1’s first Bahrain test is the first time all 11 teams are sharing the track with their 2026 cars.

With the opening four hours done, it was Verstappen who was quickest, with a 1m35.433s, set during the second hour of the test on the medium tyres. He clocked 65 laps aboard the RB22, more than a race distance (57 laps) at Bahrain Grand Prix venue Sakhir.

Verstappen was one of many drivers to start pushing the limits of his car, as he locked up at Turn 1 and went straight on with around an hour of the session to go. His closest competitor on the leaderboard was McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, who was 0.169s slower with 54 laps on the board.

‘First session’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/v...hrain-f1-test/


Lewis Hamilton ‘struggling’ with new Ferrari issue after spin on day one of 2026 Bahrain testing
11 Feb 2026
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton hasn’t had the easiest start to testing ahead as action gets underway on day one of running in Bahrain. Journalist Kemal Sengul is at the track in Bahrain and keeping a very close eye on what’s going on among the 18 drivers who will take to the track on day one among all 11 teams. He said on X just after the first hour of running had finished: “Hamilton experienced a lock-up and went off the track. Drivers are struggling with braking due to the extremely hot weather.”

The official commentary from Formula 1 stated: “The yellow flags fly briefly for Hamilton, who has had a half-spin. He lost the rear on entry, turning the car round and sliding into the run-off area backwards. Bar some small flat spots, there is no harm done there – he was well away from the barriers, which is one of the reasons this makes such a good testing venue.”

‘Struggling’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/lew...hrain-testing/


Where new F1 cars are already troubling drivers in Bahrain
Feb 11, 2026
Scott Mitchell-Malm
The Race

Interestingly, there were an inordinate number of lock-ups here as the first group of drivers explored the limits and went well beyond them on Wednesday morning. Nobody seemed immune to this although it happened in different ways. Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton caught small rear slides into Turn 10 but several had huge lock-ups. Hamilton and Franco Colapinto bailed out of the corner big time on one lap, with the Ferrari driver even turning right (not left) to make use of the run-off area.

Something Valtteri Bottas then did even more extremely as his Cadillac arrived and triggered a big plume of smoke. Lance Stroll then suffered three lock-ups in four laps in the Aston Martin, running deep every time. There were many less dramatic moments, though, and it painted a clear picture of cars that are challenging under braking. The reduced grip these cars produce is an obvious factor but it will be interesting to establish how much the energy recovery system is having an impact.

Recharging the battery is a critical component of the new engine rules, and harvesting from the rear axle under braking forms a key part of that. That is very dynamic and the brake balance between the front and rear can change lap to lap - which may be what drivers are having to get used to. Downshifting is also a factor, though. Verstappen and Gabriel Bortoleto went down an extra gear into Turn 10 compared to most, which was causing their cars to squirm a little into the apex (and rev higher/sound louder on throttle before upshifting early).

‘Lock-ups’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/o...-2026-f1-cars/

[Fortitude]

Norris tops first day of Bahrain test for McLaren.
Norris collected 58 laps on his way to a session-best 1:34.669s in the MCL40. The test was blighted by strong winds, which wreaked havoc on some parts of the circuit as drivers struggled to slow down under brakes.
12 Feb 2026
Simon Chapman
Speedcafe

“It was good to be back in the car today, we completed a lot of test items which gave us a lot of data to look over, as well as a better understanding of the car,” said Norris. “Of course, being in Bahrain in the sun, the conditions are very different to Barcelona, very hot and quite windy, and that was interesting to see how differently the car behaves. Positive day, lots learned, and looking forward to getting back in the car tomorrow.”

McLaren said the first focus of the test was to collect aerodynamic data, rather than chasing lap times or kilometres. “A productive first day in Bahrain as we continue our early on-track learning and developments for the MCL40,” said McLaren chief designer Rob Marshall. “We have approached this week by prioritising our learning and therefore chosen a deliberate run plan to optimise work that ultimately accelerates the development of our package.”

“You can see from Oscar and Lando’s running that they have both completed heavy aerodynamic testing today in conditions that are very different to the ones we experienced in Barcelona last month. With this in mind, we have prioritised data gathering runs over out and out mileage on this first day of the test. Everyone is pushing in the same direction...”

Results: Formula 1 Bahrain Pre-Season Test Day 1
Pos Driver Team Lap Diff Gap Laps
1 Lando Norris McLaren 1:34.669 58
2 Max Verstappen Red Bull 1:34.798 0.129 0.129 136
3 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:35.190 0.521 0.392 80
4 Esteban Ocon Alpine 1:35.578 0.909 0.388 115
5 Oscar Piastri McLaren 1:35.602 0.933 0.024 54
6 George Russell Mercedes 1:36.108 1.439 0.506 56
7 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari 1:36.433 1.764 0.325 52
8 Pierre Gasly Alpine 1:36.765 2.096 0.332 49
9 Nico Hulkenberg Audi 1:36.861 2.192 0.096 73
10 Alexander Albon Williams 1:37.437 2.768 0.576 68
11 Andrea Kimi Antonelli Mercedes 1:37.629 2.96 0.192 30
12 Arvid Lindblad Racing Bulls 1:37.945 3.276 0.316 75
13 Carlos Sainz Williams 1:38.221 3.552 0.276 77
14 Sergio Perez Cadillac 1:38.828 4.159 0.607 58
15 Gabriel Bortoleto Audi 1:38.871 4.202 0.043 49
16 Valtteri Bottas Cadillac 1:39.150 4.481 0.279 49
17 Lance Stroll Aston Martin 1:39.883 5.215 0.734 36
18 Franco Colapinto Alpine 1:40.330 5.661 0.446 28

‘Norris tops first day’;

https://speedcafe.com/f1-news-2026-b...oscar-piastri/


McLaren unusual strategy identified as F1 rivals take different approach
12 Feb 2026
Samuel Coop
RacingNews365

Ted Kravitz has pointed out how McLaren is bucking the pre-season trend of continuously adding new components to its car across the two official tests, ahead of the campaign-opening Australian Grand Prix. The reigning constructors' champion has equipped the MCL40 at the Bahrain International Circuit with what is expected to be the aerodynamic package it will use in Melbourne.

"McLaren have done something different in that they have waited as late as they could to put what is pretty much the first-race aero package on their car," Kravitz said on Sky Sports F1. "Then that is what they are going to Melbourne with, whereas others, such as the Mercedes, the Ferrari, the Aston Martin are going to change."

‘McLaren is taking a contrarian approach’;

https://racingnews365.com/mclaren-un...erent-approach


9 things we learned from day one of Bahrain F1 test
11 Feb 2026
Scott Mitchell-Malm, Edd Straw, Jon Noble
The Race

Mercedes’ extraordinary Red Bull claim: Does F1 have a new early benchmark? That’s what Mercedes boss Toto Wolff insisted with a surprise declaration fuelled by his team’s analysis of the initial long-run pace and GPS data.
What the early data tells us: While it was McLaren’s world champion Lando Norris who topped the times on Wednesday, Verstappen was a close second and was on a very quick-looking lap that faded in the final corners.
Why Max stands out trackside: From trackside, Verstappen also stood out for an aggressive downshifting technique linked to the new engine demands.

Ferrari’s car seems really difficult: After an encouraging start in the Barcelona test, the Ferrari looks far from the most stable car early on in Bahrain.
Aston Martin and Honda troubles: Aston Martin only managed 65 laps during the whole Barcelona shakedown test, and its game of catch up in Bahrain didn’t start well…
Audi with a bold new design: Audi was the first team to run this year way back on January 9, and appropriately enough it’s the first to introduce a big upgrade package.

How the cars really sound: The few videos we were served of the cars from Barcelona offered a bit of a clue that the new engines sound quite different to before.
Williams is overweight, but it works: After deflecting rampant speculation over the winter about its car being overweight, Williams has admitted that it will need to get its FW48 on a bit of a diet over the first few races.
More cars should have this design...: Shout out to the teams that have put their race numbers on the shark fin of the engine cover: Ferrari, Red Bull, Racing Bulls.

‘9 things we learned’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/9...hrain-f1-test/


Verstappen strikes fear into rivals with an impressive day of testing in Bahrain
11 Feb 2026
Kada Sárközi
Nicole Mulder
GPblog.com

The first day of testing in Bahrain made one thing clear: despite all the expectations around Mercedes and the new 2026 regulations, more and more points to the grid once again having to measure itself against Max Verstappen. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff even said that the Austrian Formula 1 team is the absolute benchmark on the power unit front. "The car, the power unit, (they) are the benchmark at the moment I would say. And then obviously you have Max in the car, that combination is strong,” he said.

Wolff points to Verstappen and Red Bull as top favorites. Wolff particularly highlighted Red Bull’s energy deployment, which, according to the Austrian, makes Verstappen’s team up to a second per lap faster. “Look at their energy deployment today. I mean, speaking a second a lap, over consecutive runs,” he explained. When asked, the Mercedes team principal admitted his own team currently has no answer to that.

‘Verstappen strikes fear’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/features/v...ing-in-bahrain


Red Bull develops old Adrian Newey trick Aston Martin has missed
Technical analyst Paolo Filisetti casts his eye over a minor, yet potentially magic development on Red Bull's RB22.
11 Feb 2026
Paolo Filisetti
RacingNews365

If we consider Red Bull's RB22, it was interesting to note not only the presence of a cooling vent in the rear, at the base of the halo, but above all its re-profiling, which integrates it better into the rear bodywork of the car. If this is compared to the Aston Martin solution, it is clear that not only is the cross-section of the two vents different,, above there is a clear difference in the internal ducting of the sidepods which feed them.

The purpose of these heat dissipation intakes is not only to ensure the precise management of the PU's operating temperatures, but also to exploit the hot outflow to increase the Coanda effect, used by Adrian Newey in the Sebastian Vettel heyday, in the airflow against the bodywork towards the rear axle. The idea of having the cooling vents far away from the rear axle serves not only to reduce the potential turbulent air which could disturb the rear wing, but to effectively guide the airflow through the difference in speed and density of the hot air emerging compared to the ambient air temperature.

In practice, low pressure is generated downstream of the cooling vents, which draws the streams of air at ambient temperature towards the rear, keeping them close to the body of the car. This not only generated aerodynamic load with the car, but also increases air extraction from the bottom by speeding up the central portion of the flow as it skims the bodywork.

‘Old Adrian Newey trick’;

https://racingnews365.com/red-bull-d...tin-has-missed


Explained: The issue that hit Adrian Newey’s radical Aston Martin in F1 testing
Aston Martin had limited running on Wednesday at the Bahrain F1 test
11 Feb 2026
Lewis Duncan
Crash.Net

Adrian Newey’s aggressive Aston Martin Formula 1 car managed only limited mileage on the opening day of the 2026 Bahrain test due to a “data anomaly” in the engine. On the opening day of Bahrain testing, Lance Stroll was tasked with putting the AMR26 through its paces. However, the Canadian only managed a total of 36 laps after an issue was detected with his Honda power unit.

Aston Martin has confirmed that an “anomaly” was detected in the power unit, which required investigation and kept Stroll sidelined for some time in the afternoon. “The Honda team detected a data anomaly with the power unit in the afternoon, which required further analysis and limited Lance’s running. This also marks the first time the AMR26 has run on track since the unveiling of its 2026 livery at Ithra in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, on Monday.”

“The Honda team detected a data anomaly with the power unit”;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/108923...tin-f1-testing