Who's Really Fastest in 2026? F1's New Rules Are Confusing the Pecking Order - and the Drivers

Who's really fastest in 2026? F1's new rules are confusing the pecking order - and the drivers

Formula 1's new era was always going to bring questions, but its first week of serious running has raised more than most. With one more preseason test in Bahrain still to come, ESPN makes sense of a fascinating three days in Sakhir.

Who's really fastest in 2026? F1's new rules are confusing the pecking order -- and the drivers

Formula 1's new era was always going to bring questions, but its first week of serious running has raised more than most. With one more preseason test in Bahrain still to come, ESPN makes sense of a fascinating three days in Sakhir.

F1's 2026 Bahrain test reveals shocking winners and losers: a dramatic peek into the pecking order

F1's 2026 Bahrain Test: A Shocking Revelation of Winners and Losers! The first official pre-season test for Formula 1 in 2026 has concluded at the Bahrain International Circuit, and the results are nothing short of dramatic! With teams unveiling their new machines under the scorching desert sun, the true pecking order remains a tantalizing mystery. However, some teams have emerged as clear winners and losers in this high-stakes game of speed and…

What's happened on final day of F1's Bahrain test so far

Mercedes driver George Russell's lap from the second hour of running remained the time to beat midway through the final day of the first Bahrain Formula 1 2026 test.Russell's 1m33.918s, set on the soft C3 tyre at the start of the second hour, shortly after a red flag, was the fastest lap of testing so far - and the only lap completed below the 1m34s mark.He also made up for lost time for Mercedes - which sat out most of Thursday morning with Kim…