The second day of the first 2026 pre-season test in Bahrain delivered contrasting signals across the grid. Mileage totals were strong for several teams, but not everyone translated those laps into technical confidence under the new regulations.

Red Bull stood out again despite an interrupted start. After Max Verstappen completed 136 laps on Wednesday, Thursday began with delays for Isack Hadjar as the team addressed an undisclosed issue. The response was efficient: the Frenchman returned before the lunch break and completed 87 laps, insisting the planned program remained unaffected.

Within the paddock, there is growing belief that the team has interpreted the new rules effectively. Their technical package features the debut of the Red Bull Ford Powertrain, which has shown notable reliability in its first appearance. Clearer conclusions are expected Friday when Verstappen and Hadjar share the car on the final day.

The situation proved more complicated for Mercedes, which again lost track time after a smooth Barcelona shakedown. A prior suspension issue had already limited running, and on Thursday a power unit problem forced a complete engine change, a quicker solution than replacing only the affected component, restricting Kimi Antonelli to just three laps.

“Changing the whole unit was quicker than swapping the affected part, but that meant we weren’t back on track with George until an hour into the afternoon session,” explained Andrew Shovlin. “George had a more productive day than Kimi. After yesterday’s issues, we’re still behind on setup work, but at least we brought the car into a reasonable window by the end of the day. We’ll focus on recovering the lost time tomorrow.”

The Italian has logged 33 laps in Bahrain, compared to George Russell’s 110. It is not a critical situation, but in conditions where rivals are consistently building mileage, the deficit is far from ideal. Shovlin added: “George will run in the morning and Kimi in the afternoon, and hopefully we can finish the week with a solid, trouble-free day. There are a few performance areas we need to investigate, and we aim to make further progress ahead of next week’s second test.”

Meanwhile, Audi continues to consolidate a productive debut as a works team. They were the first outfit to complete a 2026-spec shakedown and, although expected teething issues limited mileage in Barcelona for a team introducing its own engine, they arrived in Bahrain with a significant upgrade package that drew attention from rivals. Nico Hülkenberg noted that the step forward compared to the initial specification is clearly noticeable.

Hülkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto worked on different setups while deepening their understanding of the new power unit and optimizing tools such as Boost (temporary increase in available electrical energy) and Overtake (maximum power deployment mode designed to aid passing). The improvement in reliability and performance from Barcelona to Bahrain marks a solid step, though their true competitive position remains undefined.

More challenging has been the start of the Adrian Newey era at Aston Martin. Lance Stroll acknowledged the car requires more performance, greater grip and improved balance. On Thursday, Fernando Alonso confirmed the car remains demanding and that the team is aware it is lacking pace.

Context helps explain the process. Newey’s first design within the team will run a Honda power unit for the first time, while the squad is also producing its own gearbox and suspension after years of using Mercedes components. Additionally, their wind tunnel only became operational midway through last year, creating a compressed timeline that delayed their participation in the Barcelona shakedown.

Internally, there is recognition that the start of 2026 could be difficult and that progress will take time. The project, viewed as a 10-year plan that began in 2021 to fight for wins and championships, demands patience. In Bahrain, the message is clear: competition is intense and the margin for adjustment is minimal.

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