The 2026 Formula 1 pre-season testing enters its second day at the Bahrain International Circuit, building excitement ahead of the new campaign.
Day 1 Standouts
Newly crowned world champion Lando Norris topped the timesheets for McLaren. Max Verstappen placed second quickest for Red Bull while logging the highest lap count at 136. Charles Leclerc rounded out the top three with Ferrari, signaling a strong start for the Italian squad.
Red Bull Hits Overnight Snag
Red Bull encounters a setback as an unidentified overnight issue delays their morning session by the first two hours. Reserve driver Isack Hadjar, set for a full-day run, faces restriction to just two hours in the morning. Teams await further details on the problem after Red Bull’s productive Day 1.
Hamilton Addresses Super Bowl Dating Speculation
Lewis Hamilton fields questions on rumors linking him romantically to Kim Kardashian following their close appearance at the Super Bowl. Neither has confirmed the speculation.
Sky Sports reporter Ted Kravitz shares that reporters quizzed Hamilton post-Day 1 testing: “Did you enjoy your company more than the game?”
Hamilton responded: “It’s my private life. I’m not talking about that.”
Kravitz noted: “I was only going to ask if Kim was going to become a Tifosi, like all Ferrari fans, but I chickened out. Quite right. He was never going to give me an answer, though, was he?”
