Bahrain – The early narrative of the 2026 Formula 1 season is quickly taking shape, and it’s a familiar one. Despite a strong showing from McLaren’s Lando Norris on the first day of testing in Bahrain, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has conceded that Red Bull Racing, now partnered with Ford, are currently setting the pace and establishing themselves as the “benchmark” team.
The admission from Wolff, a highly respected figure in the paddock, carries significant weight. Mercedes had been widely tipped as a frontrunner following promising pre-season testing in Barcelona last month, but the initial data from Bahrain suggests Red Bull has made substantial gains, particularly with their new power unit. “They are able to deploy far more energy on the straights than everybody else,” Wolff stated. “You are speaking a second, over consecutive laps.”
This isn’t a marginal advantage, according to Wolff. He emphasized that Red Bull’s superior energy deployment isn’t limited to single, isolated laps. “On a single lap we have seen it before, but now we have seen it on 10 consecutive laps with the same kind of straight-line deployment,” he explained. “I would say that as per today, on the first official day of testing, which is always with the caveat of that, they have set the benchmark.”
The 2026 season marks a significant overhaul in Formula 1 regulations, with sweeping changes to power units, chassis, tires, and fuel. A key element of these new regulations is the increased emphasis on the electrical component of the hybrid engines. The new power units boast a near 50-50 split between the internal combustion engine and electrical components, making energy recovery and deployment critical to performance. The battery’s capacity to harvest and deploy power has tripled compared to the previous generation of engines.
Red Bull’s successful transition to a self-built power unit, following the end of their partnership with Honda at the close of 2025, is a remarkable achievement. The team embarked on a massive undertaking, poaching key engineers from rival programs, including Mercedes, to establish their own engine program. Wolff acknowledged the impressive work done by the Red Bull team, stating, “Well, I was hoping that they were worse than they are, because they’ve done a very good job.”
The combination of a strong power unit and reigning world champion Max Verstappen behind the wheel makes Red Bull a formidable force. “The car, the power unit are the benchmark at the moment, I would say. And then obviously you have Max in the car. That combination is strong,” Wolff added.
The focus on electrical power means that effectively managing battery recharge and energy deployment throughout a lap is now paramount. Teams are exploring various methods of energy recovery, including harvesting energy under braking, during cornering, through lift-and-coast maneuvers, and even while on full throttle. Any gains in these areas can translate directly into lap time improvements.
While Mercedes’ own engine program has been the subject of scrutiny, with questions surrounding their interpretation of the new rules, Wolff’s comments highlight the competitive landscape. The team deployed a novel strategy during the Barcelona shakedown that has piqued the interest of rivals, but it appears Red Bull has responded effectively.
The Bahrain test is crucial for teams to refine their setups and gather data ahead of the season-opening race. The initial indications suggest that Red Bull-Ford has emerged as the early leader, but the competitive balance could shift as teams continue to develop their cars and power units. The ability to consistently deploy more energy on the straights, as Wolff pointed out, could prove to be a decisive advantage throughout the 2026 season. The coming days of testing will be vital in determining whether other teams can close the gap and challenge Red Bull’s early dominance.
The new regulations were designed to promote closer competition, and while the field is still sorting itself out, Red Bull’s strong start suggests they are well-positioned to defend their championship title. The battle for supremacy in 2026 promises to be a thrilling one, with Red Bull setting a high bar for their rivals to overcome.
