Photo: Race Pictures

F1 LIVE | Reactions to Day 1 in Bahrain as Norris sets the pace ahead of Verstappen

17:07, 11 Feb

byTobia Elia

This is the live blog for day 1 of the winter test in Bahrain on Wednesday, 11 February 2026. Read everything about what happened on and around the track, with GPblog reporter Nicole Mulder present on site in Bahrain.

First day of Bahrain pre-season testing kicks off at Sakhir

With the Barcelona tests now in the books — where Ferrari, courtesy of Lewis Hamilton, topped the timesheets while Mercedes stole the spotlight on mileage — everything is set for the first official winter pre-season test, where teams are expected to start turning up the intensity.

On Monday, the final three teams yet to unveil their liveries — Aston Martin, Cadillac and McLaren — revealed the colour schemes they will race with this season, officially bringing the launch calendar to a close. Attention now shifts to the track, with all eleven teams set to run on Day 1 of the three-day test. Unlike Barcelona, the Bahrain running will feature partial TV coverage, with the final hour broadcast live each day.

Teams have already confirmed their driver line-ups for the day, with some opting to run a single driver throughout the entire session, while others will split duties between their two racers — as is the case with McLaren and Mercedes. Max Verstappen will drive the entire day, while Lewis Hamilton will be in action during the morning.