2026 Pre-Season Testing

[pantherxxx]

Toto says that Red Bull Ford's energy deployment is in a class of his own.

"Look at the energy deployment today. They are able to deploy far more energy on the straights than everybody else. I mean, over consecutive 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 straightline deployment. I would say that as per today, on the first official day of testing, which is always with a caveat, they have set the benchmark today."

[langedweil]

In total laps this is a pretty good session with these new PU's for all teams !
Well, maybe except for AMR Honda that is.

[SSJ4]

Seems to be a lot more lock ups compared to other pre seasons that I can remember.

[Rikhart]

Toto literally commenting on the laptimes/standings set this morning with zero other insights. Kind of icky honestly. Just say it's too early yet to make any evaluations but our competitors look good.

George set 5 laps in 5 completely different deployment maps in the morning. Hard to believe the runs in the morning were representative.

This is honestly pathetic.

[FrukostScones]

Audi (HUL) never using 8th gear on main straight . what could this be?

constantly one gear lower than the rest. harvesting strategy?

[Santozini]

Any hot takes?

McLaren easy favorites. Mercedes will be second fiddle. Ferrari will be somewhere between these two depending on track.

Based on what? Gosh, betting companies must be petrified of people with a gift like yours

[woocasz]

We will definitely see 370+ km/h at Monza or Baku this year.

[AR3-GP]

I hate to admit it but these cars look much more alive on the track.

[Badger]

I hate to admit it but these cars look much more alive on the track.

Not really. The turn in and change of direction doesn't compare to previous gen, especially not in high speed. Where they are more lively is traction.

[AR3-GP]

I hate to admit it but these cars look much more alive on the track.

Not really. The turn in and change of direction doesn't compare to previous gen, especially not in high speed. Where they are more lively is traction.

Entry to the slow corners is more alive as well as the exits like you say. High speed won't be as good, but I still liked what I saw on the chassis side of these regs.

[FittingMechanics]

I hate to admit it but these cars look much more alive on the track.

Something that isn't mentioned often is that these cars will carry 30kg less fuel at the start, in additiion to being 30kg lighter. So overall 60kg at race starts less than last year. That's almost 10%.

[GrizzleBoy]

I hate to admit it but these cars look much more alive on the track.

Aero balance has shifted forward so they can get the nose in better at medium speed and mechanical balance has shifted backwards with more compliance to allow the cars to "move around" at the rear while still being driveable at lower speed.

The first days of testing in 2022, Lewis W13 looked like a bucking bronco while he was trying to get the stiff rears to rotate in low speed.

Now the cars are moving around in low speed on traction whether they like it or not, even all the way round in his case today

Makes me wonder actually, whether a more powerful engine is the most important thing right now or whether engine driveability is a massive thing again like 2014 where the turbo/energy deployment management of the non Mercedes engines was just as much a problem for drivers as the total power output.

Having the highest power to weight ratio at all times might not necessarily always be the most important thing in a car that needs to live on the edge of traction.

[f1isgood]

Any hot takes?

McLaren easy favorites. Mercedes will be second fiddle. Ferrari will be somewhere between these two depending on track.

Based on what? Gosh, betting companies must be petrified of people with a gift like yours

McLaren set the fastest lap on mediums and have been very quietly strong and might have a better packaging answer to these regs than Mercedes. Clearly Mercedes engine is the best so it's normal they are top 2.

[Sergej]

McLaren easy favorites. Mercedes will be second fiddle. Ferrari will be somewhere between these two depending on track.

Based on what? Gosh, betting companies must be petrified of people with a gift like yours

McLaren set the fastest lap on mediums and have been very quietly strong and might have a better packaging answer to these regs than Mercedes. Clearly Mercedes engine is the best so it's normal they are top 2.

is, but will ?

[geogate]

i doubt there are many cars that have hit the minimum weight yet