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F1 pre-season testing begins in Bahrain

The first official Formula 1 testing session of the new season has started in Bahrain, with George Russell and Max Verstappen among the drivers on track.

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Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands steers his car during a Formula One pre-season test at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir, Bahrain, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands steers his car during a Formula One pre-season test at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir, Bahrain, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri). Picture: Alamy

By Camille Bidard

The first official pre-season testing session ahead of the new Formula 1 campaign is now under way in Bahrain, running through until Friday.

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Teams are using the three-day session to put their new cars through their paces before the season begins, gathering crucial data and fine-tuning performance.

Among those out on track this morning are Mercedes driver George Russell and Red Bull’s reigning champion Max Verstappen, as teams begin assessing pace, reliability and setup in competitive conditions.

Testing in Bahrain offers the first real glimpse of how the grid may shape up for the year ahead, with engineers and drivers working intensively to maximise performance before racing officially gets started.